DENVER — Denver deputies want to ask the voters to give them more power and allow them to enforce state, federal and local laws outside city buildings.
But deputies are already facing opposition from City Council members who say giving them more responsibilities would cost Denver millions in new training and increased salaries.
Currently deputies can only enforce laws in the jail, Denver Health Medical Center, and the courthouse. They succeeded last year in persuading city officials to give them the authority to arrest people in the facilities where deputies work. But deputies say they still have to wait for police officers to complete paperwork for their arrests, and they can’t apprehend people on the street.
Having responsibilities similar to those of police officers could give deputies leverage in asking for higher pay during collective bargaining, said Councilman Doug Linkhart. That could cost the city $9.5 million more each year, if deputies received the same salary as police, according to an estimate by Denver’s finance department. An estimate for the cost of additional training was not immediately available.
Sheriff’s Capt. Frank Gale, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents the deputies, said deputies are not trying to boost their salaries and that the idea is to increase public safety.
“If you are a deputy and a peace officer, and if you have to act to protect a citizen or the community at large, you should be able to do that,” Gale said.
He disputes the city’s estimates of additional costs.
To get the proposal for additional authority for deputies on the ballot, the union needs 40,000 signatures to get the initiative on the November ballot.
The union wanted the City Council to put the proposal on the ballot themselves to skip the signature drive, but some council members are concerned about expanding deputies’ law-enforcement authority.
“It would create dual law enforcement in the city of Denver, which many people, including myself, don’t think we need,” said Councilman Michael Hancock.
The union that represents police, the Denver Police Protective Association, is also against the idea.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
