Denver Sheriff Elias Diggins. (Helen H. Richardson, Denver Post file)
Re: “Denver community groups want to be included on sheriff’s reform team,” June 2 news story; and “Former Denver sheriff’s investigator sues O’Malley and Diggins,” June 3 news story.
On Tuesday The Post had an article listing the names of the Denver political insiders on the commission reviewing the sheriff’s department. It includes Manager of Public Safety Stephanie O’Malley and Interim Sheriff Elias Diggins. On Wednesday The Post reported that Brent Miller, a retired Adams County deputy and fired internal affairs investigator for the Denver sheriff, has sued Diggins and O’Malley for forcing him to cover up misconduct by sheriffs by, among other things, destroying videos.
How can the public trust the sheriff’s department to police itself? All police departments in the USA seem to have the miraculous ability to clean up their own messes — by conveniently ignoring them.
Tom Carberry, Bailey
This letter was published in the June 5 edition.The Denver Sheriff Department reform team selected by Mayor Michael Hancock is just the same old team. They’re more a political thinking team, when what the citizens need is a critical thinking team. The exact same leaders have had years to make reforms at the sheriff’s office and they’ve failed.
There’s another civil rights lawsuit filed against the city, this time from a sheriff’s investigator. The city attorney’s office is under an ongoing investigation themselves. City Councilman Paul Lopez had to fight with the mayor’s office to get on the committee. What should the citizens believe in?
Since the citizens have already heard from everyone on the reform team, itap time to support the Colorado Latino Forum and the sheriff’s deputies’ union’s call for more community input in the reforms.
Jeff Dorrell, Denver
This letter was published in the June 5 edition.
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