Latest news with #DenverCityCouncil
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Denver settles civil rights lawsuits for $150K with journalist at George Floyd protests
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver City Council approved two settlements to the same man on Monday, related to his coverage of the George Floyd protests in the downtown area and of a homeless encampment sweep. Brian Loma, a journalist, claimed in his federal civil rights lawsuit that Denver Police Department officers 'retaliated' against him for covering what his attorneys called 'rampant police brutality' that occurred during the protests. Loma said he suffered pepper balls, flash-bang grenades and tear gas during the protests as he exercised his First Amendment rights of free speech. 2020 coverage: Police chiefs: Denver saw more protest violence than any major US or Canadian city 'After being shot and tear gassed during the first day of the protests, I showed up in a helmet that had 'PRESS' all over it,' said Brian Loma in a press release from his attorneys. 'And on the second day while wearing it, having shown up at the Capitol I was burning sage and praying in the Capitol lawn when I was directly shot and targeted with tear gas. I was a peaceful protester in meditation when Denver police targeted me and violated my rights.' Denver paid $135,000 to settle Loma's claims. 'The payment to Brian Loma for the brutality he endured during the George Floyd protests is just the latest in a long line of payments by Denver for police misconduct during the protests,' said Andy McNulty, Loma's attorney. 'Unfortunately, the taxpayers of Denver are forced to compensate victims for the harms they suffered at the hands of Denver Police Department officers while officers have suffered no consequences for their actions.' The second case involved Loma filming officers conducting a homeless sweep of an encampment allegedly primarily occupied by LGBTQ+ individuals. 'The reality of the sweeps was that they inflicted immense trauma on houseless residents of Denver and looked ugly on film for the city,' Loma's attorneys wrote in a press release. Loma argued in his lawsuit that he was filming the installation of a border fence around the encampment that allegedly was constructed to limit access of mutual aid providers and supporters assisting the homeless community. While doing so, he demanded the officers identify themselves, as is the Denver Police Department's policy. 'DPD Officer Berger refused to identify himself and, when Mr. Loma moved his camera to capture the name badge on his uniform, Officer Berger slapped Mr. Loma's camera out of his hand, smashing it on the ground and breaking it,' Loma's attorneys stated. Denver sees historic drop in street homelessness: Mayor Johnston For this case, Denver paid Loma $15,000 to settle his claims. 'This is not the first time that Denver Police Department officers have retaliated against individuals for filming and criticizing the police,' said McNulty in the press release. 'The Denver Police Department's persistent violation of the First Amendment should come as no surprise given Denver's consistent failure to discipline or fire officers who violate civilians' constitutional rights. We are gratified that these settlements impose some semblance of accountability on a police department run amok.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
19 hours ago
- Health
- Axios
What's next for the police response alternative STAR as it turns 5
Five years after launching, the Support Team Assisted Response Program — otherwise known as the STAR program — sits at a crossroads. The big picture: The program dispatches a paramedic with a behavioral health clinician to low-risk calls, most often for people dealing with mental health distress or substance use issues. Program manager and supervisor Marion Rorke tells us the program serves as an alternative to sending Denver police, who now sometimes call STAR themselves when they realize it's better equipped to handle certain calls. State of play: STAR has turned into a national mode l, but in order to one day become a 24/7 service, it needs more funding — which seems unlikely given Denver's current budget woes. What they're saying: "Every single call that the STAR van responds to — in lieu of law enforcement — could potentially be a life saved," local police reform activist Alex Landau told Denver City Council last week as it recognized the program's fifth anniversary. By the numbers: The program responded to 25,144 incidents between June 1, 2020, and June 3, 2025, per data provided by the city's department of public health, which runs STAR. When it launched, STAR had a single van with two people staffing it per shift. It now boasts eight vehicles, plus a rotating staff of 16 Denver Health paramedics and 16 clinicians from WellPower, a mental health care provider, who still work in teams of two. How it works: STAR runs from 6am-10pm daily, with Denver 911 responsible for dispatching its team instead of police or ambulances. STAR can connect people with additional services, even transporting them to places like behavioral health centers or referring them to other local health care services. Nearly 60,000 calls were STAR-eligible over the past five years. The intrigue: Rorke tells us she's working to codify a community advisory committee that provides direct feedback and recommendations to STAR's operation, something local advocates say is crucial to its success. That could mean making this community board a charter requirement, giving the panel more authority. Between the lines: STAR's current budget is $7.2 million, including $5.3 million directly from the city, and the rest coming from Caring for Denver grant money.
Axios
03-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Denver weighs ranked choice voting for municipal elections
Rank-choice voting is back in the spotlight in Denver. The big picture: Denver City Council members on Monday discussed a proposal to use ranked choice voting for the city's municipal elections. Why it matters: Ranked choice voting (RCV) would upend how voters choose the city's top officials, including mayor and city council members, while proponents say it could save money, increase turnout and make voting simpler. How it works: This system lets voters rank each candidate in order of preference, with the candidate who receives 50% or more of first-choice votes winning. Yes, but: If the 50% threshold isn't met immediately, the tallying repeats until a candidate gets 50% or more of the first-choice votes, creating an "instant runoff." Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated, and those ballots count toward each voter's next-ranked pick. Between the lines: RCV would eliminate runoff elections, which in Denver occur as separate contests about two months after the initial election. Runoffs come with a roughly $2 million price tag, City Clerk and Recorder Paul López tells us. What they're saying: Councilmember Sarah Parady, who sponsored the RCV measure, said during Monday's meeting that Denver's current spring election may run afoul of a new state voting right's law. The city could face a legal challenge due to lack of racial parity in voter turnout during municipal elections, Parady said. The other side: Councilmember Kevin Flynn said this method can result in reduced voter turnout, noting a downturn in some parts of Portland after introducing RCV last year. While supporters say it can lead to more candidates of color, Councilmember Jamie Torres said she doesn't think this is an issue in Denver, noting the council's historically diverse makeup. The intrigue: López, who oversees city elections, in a letter to council said he's not taking a formal position on ranked choice voting, though he noted the city's election systems are capable of adopting the method. Friction point: Council on Monday also discussed a separate proposal requiring separate ballots for the two at-large seats on the 13-member council — something López in his letter said cannot be implemented simultaneously as ranked choice voting. Flashback: The city briefly used this RCV in the early 1900s before abolishing it in 1935; council briefly reconsidered its use in 2021.
Axios
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Salvation Army contract extension faces scrutiny amid security concerns
A plan to add $4.6 million to an existing Salvation Army contract with the city to operate its busiest homeless shelter includes terms intended to improve safety. The big picture: Denver City Council members on Wednesday forwarded a bill to the full council to extend the contract to run the Crossroads Center, pushing the total to $19.4 million. Why it matters: It's an eyebrow-raising sum for a nonprofit facing criticism over its poor safety record in other Denver-area shelters. A sexual assault and multiple shootings occurred at shelter sites operated by the Salvation Army over the past year. Threat level: Its final approval isn't guaranteed, as council members on Wednesday voiced security-related concerns just two months after dropping a separate deal with the nonprofit. Councilmember Jamie Torres said Wednesday she's already received messages to reject the contract, including from a local advocacy group, the Housekeys Action Network Denver. The group called the conditions at Crossroads "deplorable" and included multiple anonymous complaints from people who stayed there in an open letter. By the numbers: The proposed extension covers staffing and operational costs through December, and is calculated based on an average cost of $41 per person per night, city documents show. Roughly $2.5 million pays for salaries and benefits for 38 staff members, with the remainder covering maintenance, meals and supplies for people staying at the shelter, deputy director of shelter and stability Jeff Kositsky. The roughly 300-bed emergency shelter in the Five Points neighborhood is owned by the city and available 24/7 for men exclusively, often running near capacity. The Salvation Army will contribute $1 million to run the center. The intrigue: The additional money comes with stipulations, including a requirement for the Salvation Army to submit a security plan for Denver's Department of Housing Stability to review. The Salvation Army will remain responsible for managing security, and the city will install kiosks to allow people who stay at Crossroads to submit feedback, per Kositsky. What they're saying: Keeping Crossroads open is in the best interest of people who rely on it, though safety concerns are legitimate, Councilmember Amanda Sawyer said during Wednesday's meeting.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
New rules for scooter riders coming to Denver after unanimous city council vote
DENVER (KDVR) — New rules are on the way for how to use scooters in Denver, including new technology to try and prevent rider injuries. The Denver City Council voted unanimously Monday night to crack down on sidewalk riding and leaving scooters anywhere in the city. Denver among first cities to launch Lime's newest vehicle option: LimeGlider 'Today we take a major step forward here in Denver for public safety, accessibility and transportation innovation,' said District 10 City Councilperson Chris Hinds. Hinds co-sponsored the proposal that passed unanimously with all 12 yes votes. Scooters will soon be required to have a sidewalk detection technology, shutting them off if the rider is not in the street or a bike lane. Denver Health said that in 2024, it saw nearly 2,000 scooter-related patient encounters come into the emergency department or urgent care centers, most commonly broken bones, cuts and concussions. Hinds says their goal is to cut into that number. 'This legislation is about more than scooters and bikes, it's about saving lives, ensuring dignity for all pedestrians and setting national standards for responsible micro mobility,' said Hinds. Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said it has already started to test that detection technology, but has no results to share yet. The proposal also mandates that riders park scooters in designated zones, which DOTI has also been testing near Union Station. A quick compliance test for riders is also required before using a scooter for the first time. Search continues for missing 64-year-old man in Conejos County, last seen in April Councilperson Sarah Parady co-sponsored the proposal with Hinds and says residents hope it's only the first step in improving safety. 'I also have heard loud and clear from communities that probably the best thing we could do to improve the safety of these devices is just to continue to improve the safety of the actual streets, the bike lanes, the built-in environment,' said Parady. 'But in the absence of infinite money to do that, I think this bill will help a lot.' The new parking requirements aren't slated to go into effect until 2027, while the rest of the new rules will begin next year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
