Responding to concerns from Denver City Council members, Mayor John Hickenlooper’s administration has decided not to pursue private donations to partially fund a gang task force in the city district attorney’s office.
“The foundations that had initially expressed interest in the district attorney’s effort are now focusing with us on other opportunities to make a positive impact,” Hickenlooper’s chief of staff Kelly Brough said in a memorandum to City Council this week.
Last month, council members balked at the idea of private donors paying about $120,000 for a special gang program over concern about the possibility of “selective prosecution.”
Hickenlooper has refused to name the potential donors.
“While we’re confident that foundation support of the District Attorney’s gang-related efforts would not have created any conflicts of interest for law enforcement officials,” Brough’s memo to the council said, “we very much understand the concern and appreciate the attention that members of City Council have given this issue.”
In February, District Attorney Mitch Morrissey announced a plan to dismantle the city’s top gangs through a grand jury investigation. He said he needed nearly $500,000 to fund the program over 18 months.
Hickenlooper and Morrissey arranged for a private source to donate a portion of the money.
But several council members expressed concern about the plan when briefed.
“I can’t think of a term on which I personally could accept it,” Councilwoman Carol Boigon said at the time.
On Thursday, Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said she was pleased by the decision.
“In the area of prosecution, you just have to be so squeaky clean that I feel this is an excellent decision,” she said. “I think that this definitely avoids any appearance of a conflict of interest.”
A spokeswoman for Morrissey said the city is committed to fighting gangs.
“We are confident they will figure out how best to do that with the resources they have,” spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
