George Herrera once pulled seven people to safety out of a burning coin laundry in Denver.
During his 26-year career as a Denver patrolman, Herrera received 200 commendation letters, the coveted Medal of Honor and the Police Merit Award for similar acts of courage and professionalism.
He was named Officer of the Year in 1982 and 2001. And for his efforts during the laundry fire, the Fire Department gave him a Citizens Medal of Heroism.
But he never accomplished his dream of becoming a Denver police detective and watched as his white counterparts were promoted ahead of him.
Herrera, 51, is one of eight Latino police officers who have filed a class-action racial-bias complaint against the Denver Police Department. He said his story, which the department would not discuss, illustrates why Latino officers felt they had to file the complaint.
He wanted to be a detective in charge of conducting intelligence and solving robbery and narcotics cases.
From 1986 to 2004, when he retired, Herrera says, he was on the list to be promoted to detective, but it never happened.
“I am a man of principle, and I have a record that I am very, very proud of,” he said.
In 1990, a commanding officer told him that his patrol assignment was as far as he was ever going to go, Herrera said.
He acknowledges that he had complaints in his personnel file but says the marks on his record were not any more egregious than those of other officers who got promotions or assignments to special units.
At one point, a citizen complained that Herrera had harassed him during a telephone call that was related to a friend’s domestic dispute.
When the complaint was sent to the district attorney, prosecutors declined to pursue it, he said.
The issue was resolved with a letter of reprimand in his file.
Herrera believes Latino officers are targeted because they tend to be more vocal when they feel wronged.
“It’s part of their nature,” he said. “They don’t have a problem saying what they need to say.”
Herrera once spoke out when, during an officer’s funeral, he heard a sergeant criticize another Latino officer for the way he put black tape on his badge.
“He called him a stupid Mexican,” Herrera said. “I challenged him right there.”
In 2004, Herrera sent a letter to Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman asking to be reinstated after his retirement, but he never heard a response back.
Whitman did not return repeated calls for comment.
“They blackballed me,” Herrera said. “They said I was not a team player. I was in career hell and had pressure from then on.”
Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-820-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com.
