Denver needs a police chief who is willing to reach out to the community, has zero tolerance for police brutality, and wants to protect and serve a diverse population, some residents told a committee that will help pick a replacement for Chief Gerald Whitman.
More than 70 people participated in the town hall at Manual High School on Monday to give the six-member review committee their ideas on the qualities a chief must have.
The head of the 1,400-member police department should be someone who “will do the right thing when no one is looking,” said Wil Bradford.
Amber Tafoya, a lawyer who lives on Denver’s west side, said a police commander recently told her that he moved from a Denver neighborhood because it had become too rough. “I want a chief willing to live in our neighborhoods,” she said. “We need a chief who has a heart for every neighborhood.”
Derek Blass said officers who join the force with the best of intentions can change under the pressure of the job. “Over time, due to situations, they can become a menace.”
A chief should be willing to initiate rigorous and regular psychological testing of officers, Blass said.
The discipline process for officers accused of wrongdoing can take too long, said Miriam Pena, co-executive director of the Colorado Progressive Coalition. For victims of police brutality, lengthy delays cause frustration, she said.
Several people said that even though Mayor Michael Hancock has launched a national search to replace Whitman, they would like to see Division Chief Tracie Keesee get the job. “She understands the need for community input,” said Pena.
The search for a chief follows a year in which nine officers were fired for violating department policies, and most of them were under scrutiny for excessive force.
Mark Cohen, a member of the National Lawyers Guild, said a new chief must recognize that public trust in the department has suffered and that abuse of civilians is a serious problem.
The Washington-based Police Executive Research Forum has a contract to perform the search. The review committee, headed by incoming Manager of Safety Alex Martinez, is looking at 61 applications. The committee will make recommendations to the mayor.
“Every opportunity we have, we will seek your input,” Hancock told the crowd.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
