What Denver’s mayoral candidates think about the LoDo indictment

A handful of outstanding candidates for Denver mayor expressed help for the grand jury’s indictment of a police officer, whereas some contenders are standing with legislation enforcement.

• Others are avoiding the subject altogether.

Why it issues: The indictment is the primary main divider within the crowded metropolis race and the place the candidates’ stand supplies insights into their views on policing.

State of play: Mayor Michael Hancock responded to the costs towards Denver officer Brandon Ramos on Wednesday, saying he was “shocked” the occasions amounted to prison intent.

At the least 4 would-be successors contradicted Hancock and backed the grand jury.

• “Mayor Hancock is as soon as once more defending the indefensible,” stated Lisa Calderón, a Regis College professor and neighborhood advocate.
• Terrance Roberts, a civil rights activist and former gang member, stated the indictment was acceptable and criticized the mayor. “He simply mechanically sides with the facet of legislation enforcement.”
• State Rep. Leslie Herod counseled the transfer, saying “the officer have to be held accountable.”
• “I do suppose that it was acceptable given the details,” added former state Sen. Mike Johnston.

Sure, however: Others took a extra middling method, or expressed issues.

• State Sen. Chris Hansen stated he has “lots of confidence within the district lawyer” and shared help for a “extremely accountable police pressure,” however averted direct remark.
• Debbie Ortega, a long-serving council member, expressed help for the officer. She stated Ramos’ intent “was to guard and protect life.”
• Ean Tafoya, an environmental activist, stated he desires to attend for a court docket resolution and to see division insurance policies change.
• Kelly Brough, a former Denver chamber of commerce chief, declined to reply questions on the problem, noting in a press release the “consequence of accountability can be determined by the courts.”
• State Rep. Alex Valdez didn’t reply.

What they’re saying: Many candidates noticed the second to increase on their platform in the case of policing.

• Hansen stated the subsequent mayor “must have fun nice policing and put money into nice policing.” That begins with doing “a greater job of recruiting,” he added. On the identical time, these recruits must know that “town goes to face by its officers once they’ve acted accurately.”
• Calderón stated Denver’s “whole” public security system wants “reforming.” If elected, she desires to create commissions that oversee legislation enforcement leaders, together with the general public security director, as a substitute of them reporting on to the mayor.
• Tafoya stated, not like Hancock, he would “maintain judgment” on comparable incidents till “we’ve seen the entire proof and due course of is full.”
• Ortega added that town must “proceed to supply coaching” to officers “to finest put together them for worst-case eventualities.”