It would be funny if it weren’t so frightening. One of the four people arrested when police found a cache of arms, drugs and money in downtown Denver before this month’s All-Star Game pleaded with the judge to go easy on his bail. 42-year-old Richard Platt reasoned that he presented a low risk of flight
Police working with ATF and federal prosecutors to target felons illegally carrying guns Denver police hope a new two-person team will help reduce gun violence by cracking down on the city’s most prolific and violent offenders. The city’s police department is teaming up with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and local and
Attorney William Briggs argued that the city needs more sworn officers to keep residents safe By Kevin Rector Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — After being appointed president of the Los Angeles Police Department’s civilian oversight panel on Tuesday, attorney William Briggs promptly rejected the notion that the LAPD should be “defunded,” arguing instead that
On average, a person was shot in Denver every 36 hours in the first six months of 2021 Violence in Denver so far this year is on track to meet or exceed the bloodshed of 2020, when the city recorded the highest number of homicides since 1981. In the first six months of this year,
The social worker identified his attacker as a dangerous man who had tried to kill a Holyoke police officer years before By Dave Canton masslive.com HOLYOKE, Mass — Holyoke police officers had to force their way into a Holyoke man’s apartment after he allegedly stabbed a CHD social worker multiple times late Friday afternoon, then
Law enforcement and first responders pay their respects to slain Arvada police officer Gordon Beesley durin a funderal procession in Lafayette, Colo., on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. A funeral was held at the Flatirons Community Church for officer Beesley, who was a 19-year veteran of the Arvada Police Department. Officer Beesley was killed by
Approximately 50 police officers working for Portland’s rapid response unit resigned this week, a day after a team member was indicted for allegedly assaulting a protester last year. Participation in the unit was voluntary, and the officers will continue working for the police department in their regular assignments, according to a department press release. Portland Mayor
To those men and women in blue who go to work each day to bring hope to the hopeless, to save a life and maybe a soul – we honor you Author’s note: When I was asked to write a column for National Police Week, I struggled on how to put on paper what was in
Police are holding a 40-year-old man to investigate attempted first-degree murder, possession of a weapon by a previous offender and first-degree criminal trespassing Pedro Juan Gallegos, 40, is being held by Denver police as they investigate the shooting of a police officer on Saturday, according to the department. The Denver Police Department is holding Gallegos to explore
The neighborhood manhunt ended Sunday morning A Denver police officer was shot in the leg late Saturday night in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood, prompting an hours-long manhunt that ended early Sunday morning. The officer underwent emergency surgery and was in stable condition Sunday afternoon, Denver police said. The officer was shot just before 11 p.m. as
Some neighborhoods saw business burglaries more than double The silver Lexus sedan pulled up just before 7 a.m. Tuesday. Two people got out, looked underneath Kym Bloom‘s Toyota Prius parked outside her Capitol Hill apartment building and then drove off, surveillance video shows. Ten minutes later, they returned and, in broad daylight, sawed out the
DENVER (CBS4) – In an effort to spark change within the profession of law enforcement, specifically within the City of Denver, the Denver Police Department is launching a new mantra for their 2021 recruiting process. “Be the Change You Want To See” is now prominently featured on most patrol vehicles in Denver. The new slogan for
Five separate shootings occurred in Aurora over a violent weekend. The incidents all occurred within 27 hours of one another. They took place between a few blocks north of Colfax Avenue and Parker Road to the south, Interstate 225 to the east and Havana Street to the west. Aurora Police do not believe the shootings
Denver’s homicide rate jumped 50% in 2020, more than other large cities The pandemic, social unrest, and presidential election upended life as usual in 2020. It was also an unprecedented and devastating year of violence. It is almost certain that the 2020 rise in the homicide rate will go down as the largest on record.
DENVER — A generous donation from a Colorado business owner to Denver Police District 4 not only helped put a roof over a man who had been living in his car, but will continue to help officers provide essential resources when they respond to calls. More than a year ago, Jerry Daniel Langley Jr. lost
DENVER — Denver Police Officer Wallace Sam said his bicycle patrols help him connect the community and his roots. “It’s just a great way to see the city,” Sam said. Sam, a native of the Montbello neighborhood in Denver, has served with the Denver Police Department for almost eight years. He said part of the
DENVER (CBS4) – After a year of social unrest following cases of police brutality against Black Americans, some Black Coloradans have made it their mission to be the change they want to see in the law enforcement profession. In Denver, there have been many Black men and women who have served on the Denver police force,
Ninety-five people killed in homicides last year, though Denver’s murder rate low compared to other cities Mark Hill took a break from watching cartoons with his kids one day last June to move his car. He never came back inside. The 35-year-old father of six was gunned down near his Denver home, just blocks from
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) — Dozens of families got a delicious, free meal delivered right to their doors on Thursday, thanks to an anonymous donor, a local restaurant and Denver police officers. (credit: CBS) Here’s how it happened: an anonymous donor gave Grammy’s Italian Goodies in Wheat Ridge $2,000 — and asked the owners to make food for
Peter Walker was cooking in his downtown Colorado Springs home midafternoon on New Year’s Day 2020, when his housemate stuck a 2½-inch blade of a Leatherman multitool into his stomach. He was brought to the hospital, where he died of the stab wound about two hours later, an autopsy showed. Matthew Morrow was killed Dec.
All three individuals sustained injuries not believed to be life-threatening Three people were shot and injured in Denver early Saturday, police said. Just after 2 a.m., police announced a double shooting on the 3500 block of South Harlan Street in southwest Denver. A man and woman were transported to a hospital with wounds not believed
Independent Monitor Nick Mitchell resigned last month Denver Mayor Michael Hancock appointed Gregg Crittenden on Monday to serve as the interim police watchdog while city officials search for a permanent replacement, according to a release. The appointment bumps Crittenden up from his former position of senior deputy monitor under former Independent Monitor Nick Mitchell, who resigned
For a while the United States’ idea of law enforcement was fairly loose. The Wild West was, well, wild. And most states and cities didn’t consider emergency services like firefighters and police officers to be necessary until much later than most would think. In the mid 1800s, most law enforcement was carried out in the
DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Police Department is still investigating a 47-year-old cold case involving a Colorado state trooper who was found shot and killed in his patrol car. On Dec. 27, 1973, Thomas “Tom” Carpenter was seen around 9 a.m. on the westbound on-ramp from Broadway to the Boulder Turnpike. It was reported that
It’s time for Denver City Council to stop with the political theater and recommit itself to the business of running the city. Nothing demonstrates this more than the “final act” that played out November 30 when an independent arbitrator arrived at a deal between the city and the police union that included a pay raise for the
Beneath a highway overpass in South Los Angeles on Saturday night, a detective clicked his flashlight on and off as he carefully placed a yellow evidence marker in the middle of the street and then another closer to the curb, near the pooled blood of a 17-year-old boy. A big dog barked behind a nearby
LOS ANGELES, CA – Months after the news broke that the LAPD was to get their budget cut by up to $150 million, we’re now able to get a better idea of what the cut in funding is going to affect more specifically within the department. Reportedly several units – including robbery and homicide – are going to be among
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The same city council members that recently voted to “abolish” the entire Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is now considering bringing in officers from other jurisdictions to help tackle the spike in violent crime and officer shortage. The Star Tribune reported that if the mayor and city council more forward to approve the plan, then officers
Denver Post — A new team has taken over nonfatal shooting investigations, will treat them like homicides Last year, suspects who shot and wounded someone in Denver more than likely got away with it. At least 145 people were injured in shootings last year, though most of those cases were never solved by a department
National First Responders Day on October 28 recognizes the heroic men and women who make it their business to take immediate action when disaster strikes. Not sure what a first responder does? Just think about 9/11 for a moment. Firefighters, police, paramedics, and more — rushing into Lower Manhattan. Whether you’ve had your own emergency
Is the defund the police movement losing steam? There are radicals who will never give up on any of their perverse goals. But many officials who initially supported defunding the cops have faceplanted into a reality wall. They’re learning that defunding the police results in increased crime. Who knew? The Minneapolis City Council was in
Det. Curt Holland and a civilian were killed in the three-vehicle crash Duty Death: Curt Holland – [Commerce City, Colorado] End of Service: 10/16/2020 COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A three-vehicle crash Friday evening in Commerce City left two people dead and one with life-threatening injuries. According to the State Patrol, the incident happened as follows: A
A person was shot in the face during an alleged road rage incident on Interstate 25 early Sunday morning — one of four people injured in three shootings in a five-hour period. Denver police responded to the first shooting of the overnight period about 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of East 33rd Avenue and
Two former Denver City Council members Elbra Wedgeworth and Jeanne Faatz have come out in staunch opposition of Denver ballot measures 2E and 2G, which are designed to strengthen the power of the city’s legislative branch. Ballot Measure 2E is led by Councilwomen Amanda Sawyer and Candi CdeBaca and would give the 13-member council the authority
The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum will present a two-day “Weekend of Remembrance” this weekend. The Weekend of Remembrance includes a memorial service and live reading of the names of 135 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2019, plus the names of 172 officers who died in previous years
DENVER — Through an open records request, Denver7 has received copies of police body camera video showing more of what took place during a confrontation between police and a group of people protesting a homeless cleanup on Aug. 19. Denver police were overseeing the cleanup near 29th and Glenarm when protesters began gathering. One of those protesters
Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca’s campaign violated election finance laws last year when vying for District 9, a seat she won in a runoff election against the well-funded, two-term incumbent Albus Brooks. According to campaign finance records, the contributions of more than a dozen individual donors — including her candidate committee treasurer and her wife
The recent release of court documents and body-cam footage surrounding George Floyd’s death predictably thrust Excited Delirium Syndrome (ExD) back into the news. Following George Floyd’s death, media outlets had already begun to revive the false, anti-police narrative that ExD is nothing more than “pseudo-science,” invented to absolve officers from excessive force. Now, the Brookings Institute,
With Austin poised to cut its police budget by a stunning one-third, the Texas city joins a list that includes New York, Seattle and San Francisco where law enforcement budgets have been trimmed in response to the racial justice movement. Denver has so far resisted the defunding trend, partly because of Mayor Michael Hancock’s forceful
Challenging times require officers to be resilient in our thinking, intentional in our communication and disciplined in our personal time I am part of a law enforcement family. My grandfather was a reserve police officer in Brea, California, in the 1960s. My father retired after over three decades of service in eastern Washington. I am
DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Police Department says it is concerned about the growing number of violent crimes in the city. On Sunday afternoon, nine people were shot at a gathering in the Valverde neighborhood in southwest Denver. The shooting is part of a growing trend of violence. From January through July of this year, Denver saw 47 homicides,
Denver has reached a boiling point. Gripped by a global pandemic, soaring unemployment, unrest from racial injustice and an unending homeless crisis, residents are scared. They’re angry. They’re stressed and uneasy. Increasingly, they are also dying, as the city faces yet another setback: a surge in shootings and killings. Meanwhile, an embattled police department is
For the last half-century, the police profession has been defined by its commitment to constant and never-ending improvement. It seems that no matter the source of the latest theory, agencies across the country are willing to give it a try. Although most of us don’t stop to consider it, common police practices, including deterrent patrols,
A mere ten weeks ago, I wrote in these pages of a coming crime wave. The numbers are in for the first half of 2020. I confess that I underestimated the speed and intensity of that wave, and where it would strike. It is bad, but not equally bad across Colorado. The reasons are several,
Police say too early to tell patterns; community organizers point to gang war, youth violence A surge of shootings and stabbings in early July puts Denver on track to have its deadliest year in the past decade. In the first eight days of the month, eight people were killed in homicides in Denver and 10
Five people were killed in Denver during the first six days of July, including a 19-year-old who died after being shot and a 40-year-old woman who was stabbed to death. The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner on Tuesday identified five homicide victims: July 1 — Daniel Epperson, 29, was transported from East 29th Avenue and
A spike in recent shootings has left dozens dead, including young children NEW YORK — Still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and street protests over the police killing of George Floyd, exhausted cities around the nation are facing yet another challenge: a surge in shootings that has left dozens dead, including young children. The spike defies easy explanation, experts
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The number of murders in the City, January to May, has jumped almost 50 percent over the same time last year.
DENVER—Denver District Attorney Beth McCann’s legal review of the officer-involved shooting that occurred on May 1, 2020, in the 3200 block of West Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado is complete. District Attorney McCann concluded that the shooting was legally justified and that no criminal charges are warranted against Officer Antonson for the reasons outlined in
First Podcast: This podcast covers reform legislation proposed by U.S. Senate Democrats and the State of Colorado, as well as President Trump’s executive order on police reform. https://lris.com/2020/06/17/proposed-police-reform-legislation/ Second Podcast: This podcast covers the Senate Republican bill on police reform and compares President Trump’s executive order, the senate Democrat’s bill, the senate Republican’s bill and
More than 80% of all citizens killed by police in Colorado from 2014 through the end of last year were armed, usually with a gun. Eighty-six percent were high on drugs or alcohol, with methamphetamine showing up in an astonishing 44% of total cases. Colorado Public Radio reporters, who compiled those statistics, noted how meth,
The Senate has passed SB20-217. It was introduced to the House on June 9, 2020. There are three readings in the House; two have already passed, with little substantive changes. However, the PPA, together with its lobbyists, Lombard & Clayton, continue to work with the language of this Bill — to the extent possible. The
In the midst of numerous major companies falling over themselves to send out messages promoting a twisted narrative based on partial truths about law enforcement, one company, Egard Watches, which was in the spotlight last year when it released a response to Gillette’s “Toxic Masculinity” commercial, has released a YouTube video dedicated to police officers.
The nation collectively recoiled at the death of George Floyd. We were not prepared to watch a man suffer and die while officers held him down. In that moment, our country was unified. First, in disbelief. Then helplessness. Then outrage. For those who have seen arrests and medical emergencies handled thousands of times, this wasn’t
The Denver Police Protective Association is alarmed and saddened by the event that took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As horrible as an event that occurred there, 1,000 miles from Denver, we want the citizens of our City to know all of the positive steps the Denver Police Department had, in the past few years, already
It’s extremely important for you to be prepared to discuss details when reporting your injuries and when seeing a worker’s compensation doctor. If you simply report a leg injury related to running while on duty, that injury could get denied because you have to identify a hazard of employment. Therefore, be sure to be detailed
The bill temporarily presumes COVID-19 to be work-related if diagnosed within 45 days of a first responder’s last shift By Laura French (EMS1.com) WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that establishes a temporary presumption that COVID-19 is a work-related injury, ensuring that families of first responders who die from the disease will
DENVER — A rash of shootings and stabbings in the Denver-area in the last 24 hours has left at least one dead and 10 wounded. Only two arrests were reported from the eight incidents that kept law enforcement busy overnight. A triple shooting in the 5800 block of Ceylon Street in the Green Valley Ranch
City officials say they’re still focused on education as they respond to calls from stores, banks, restaurants On the afternoon of May 9, a customer walked into The Clinic Colorado on Colorado Boulevard in Denver without a mask on and attempted to buy marijuana. A store employee, Adam Mikdad, told him they could not serve
April 29, 2020 House and Senate Leadership Joint Budget Committee Rep. KC Becker, Speaker of the House Rep. Daneya Esgar, Chair Rep. Alec Garnett, Majority Leader Sen. Dominick Moreno, Vice Chair Rep. Patrick Neville, Minority Leader Rep. Julie McCluskie, Member Sen. Leroy Garcia, Senate President Sen. Bob Rankin, Ranking Member Sen. Stephen Fenberg, Majority Leader
Deputy Heath Gumm was shot in the line of duty in 2018. His killer’s trial ended in a mistrial partially due to COVID-19. (Photo/Adams County Sheriff’s Office) The trial for the man accused of killing Deputy Heath Gumm in 2018 ended amid juror concerns about the coronavirus Shelly Bradbury/Denver Post Apr 14, 2020 ADAMS COUNTY,
Nicoletti-Flater Associates, PLLP 3595 S. Teller St. Suite 310 | Lakewood, CO. 80235 Ph: 303-989-1617 | Fax: 303-985-3133 | www.nicoletti-flater.com _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ PHASE II OF THE NEW NORMAL Dealing with the Psychological Aspects of Being Quarantined because of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) Dealing with a public health emergency at a general level was covered in our
A 41-year-old El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy died from COVID-19 on Wednesday, becoming Colorado’s youngest victim of the pandemic. Deputy Jeff Hopkins was diagnosed with the disease just one day before his death. In a Thursday press conference, Sheriff Bill Elder said eight other El Paso deputies currently have COVID-19. Hopkins last assignment was as
“In 2018, the FPPA Board of Directors created a task force to study the statewide plans managed by FPPA. The Statewide Plans Task Force convened 11 times over several months to review possible changes meant to improve the health and longevity of the statewide plans, as well as improve benefits for our members. To that
Residents are wondering if they can pick up children from ex-spouses, teachers want to know if they can deliver homework to students, and some people are even asking if they still have to follow traffic laws. Coloradans with questions about the state’s new stay-at-home order were slamming phone lines at law enforcement agencies this week,
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The outbreak first started in China, but cases have been identified in a growing number of other areas, including the United States. Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness. Data suggests that symptoms may appear in as
Cops & criminal charges: Tips from an attorney Law enforcement officers must anticipate and prepare for intense scrutiny surrounding an officer-involved shooting By Dan Herbert, Esq. January 21, 2020 A police officer’s biggest fear is that they will be killed or seriously injured during a tour of duty. A close second is a fear of
Denver’s homicide rate remains elevated as violent crimes continue to increase Sixty-three people died in homicides last year, the second-highest number in more than a decade By Elise Schmelzer | eschmelzer@denverpost.com | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: February 16, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. | UPDATED: February 16, 2020 at 8:32 a.m. For the fifth year in
Here’s a link to the 2020 law enforcement bill list for this year’s legislative session. This will provide all members with real time information on the bills, hearings, amendments, fiscal notes, etc. https://coloradocapitolwatch.com/bill-tracker-votes/0/3058/2020/0/s Lombard & Clayton are the PPA’s full-time lobbyist.
Trooper’s Garrity Rights Violated September 20, 2019 Christopher Kober was a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol. Kober was criminally charged on June 1, 2017, with theft by receiving stolen property valued at more than $5,000, a Class IIA felony under Nebraska law. The criminal investigation began when the Bellevue Police Department informed the Patrol
The case of a Mass. cop on paid leave for comments penned in a police association newsletter is a reminder to think before you write While others are raging on social media, one police lieutenant in Massachusetts has been reminded that not all commentators are created equal. Arlington Police Department Lt. Rick Pedrini, a member
Not understanding the legal arena for speech and how it’s been changed by the internet is resulting in career fatalities and making police work more dangerous. There it was in my email inbox last week: News of another career fatality over an officer’s social media post. Florida officer Matthew Moriarity, 24, had posted a Snapchat