Charley Garcia, former head of the Denver public defender’s office, was named the city’s newest safety manager Monday.
Garcia will replace Mary Malatesta, who announced her resignation last week. Her last day is March 16.
Garcia will be the fourth safety manager in less than a year — a position that is the civilian authority over the Denver police, fire and sheriff’s departments.
“Charley shares my firm commitment to expediting the unresolved cases involving safety personnel,” said Mayor Bill Vidal in a release.
The job is a mayoral appointment. A new mayor will be elected this spring.
The safety-manager position has come under fire in the past year after the death of inmate Marvin Booker at the hands of sheriff’s deputies and the beating of Michael DeHerrera in Lower Downtown by Denver police officers.
Those cases are under review and have not yet reached the desk of the manager of safety. Vidal said he intends for the cases to be resolved by July, when he leaves office.
The safety-manager’s job has become a political football in the mayoral campaign.
Former state Sen. Chris Romer, who is running for mayor, issued a statement Monday saying the position should not be filled.
“It’s time to have a hard look at whether bureaucracy is improperly getting in the way of transparency and public safety,” he said.
Another candidate, City Councilman Michael Hancock, lauded the appointment of Garcia but said the necessity of the position should be reviewed.
“While eliminating the position and consolidating the department could save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, this requires a thoughtful and prudent review,” he said in a statement.
Vidal called the position vital to public safety. The job has been part of the city charter since 1960 and would require a vote of the people to eliminate it. To leave the position vacant at “a critical time, when so many disciplinary pieces await closure, would be a great disservice to the community,” Vidal said.
Garcia retired four years ago from the Denver Office of the Colorado State Public Defender. He is advising Gov. John Hickenlooper on judicial appointments. Garcia also serves as chairman of the Denver Crime Prevention and Control Commission.
He said he will read every report and look at every detail of every case before making his decisions on the outstanding cases.
“My role has always been to protect the rights of citizens,” Garcia said Monday. “And all I have ever wanted from (law enforcement officers) is the truth.”
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
