Denver Mayor and City Council Meeting - July 23, 2024

The Mayor and Denver City Council met on July 23, 2024, for a weekly session. The meeting included council member announcements, a presentation on a new citywide service program led by the First Lady, and an update on the city's safety plan including "hot streets" and "trust patrol" initiatives. The meeting concluded with a motion to enter executive session to discuss litigation.

Announcements

• Councilman Cashman highlighted an abandoned property at Colorado Boulevard and Buchtel Avenue, noting that the developer committed to clean it up. He praised council aides for leading efforts to improve the ordinance on abandoned properties.
• Councilman Hines announced a joint proclamation for America 250 and Colorado 150 (sesquicentennial) and thanked the Mayor for support.
• Councilwoman Romero Campbell promoted an affordable Denver conversation on July 25 at Eisenhower Park and the South by Southeast Festival on August 17.
• Councilwoman Sawyer discussed a traffic study meeting rescheduled to September 24, and raised concerns about vacant properties draining police resources, citing 165 responses to one property since 2018.
• Councilwoman Sandoval promoted the Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan's Lake on August 10-11.

Discussion Items

City Service Program (Service Day)

• The Mayor introduced a new monthly service day program, starting the third Saturday of August (August 17, 2024), with a focus on back-to-school preparation for August and cleanliness for September. The program is spearheaded by First Lady Courtney Johnston and partners with Spark the Change.
• Council members provided feedback:
  • Councilwoman Torres asked about city employee participation during the week; the Mayor agreed to explore options with HR.
  • Councilwoman Sawyer noted the Saturday schedule excludes some religious groups (e.g., Jewish residents observing Shabbat) and invited the program to her district's Sunday cleanup on October 6.
  • Councilwoman Alvidrez emphasized equity: not everyone can volunteer due to work obligations, but highlighted the value of recent cleanups in District 7.
  • Councilwoman Romero Campbell encouraged partnering with existing volunteer organizations like Mile High United Way.
  • Councilman Cashman suggested creating an Office of Community Empowerment to house the program.
  • Councilman Hines noted his office's community benefits fund for trash collection, graffiti removal, and murals.
  • Councilwoman Torres reminded that the city previously had an Office of Volunteerism.
  • The Mayor promised to bring the First Lady to a future meeting.

Public Safety Plan Update

• The Mayor presented two components:
  • Hot Streets: Proactive patrols of 60-100 high-crime intersections, with officers spending 10-15 minutes every two hours. Studies show a 90%+ drop in crime at sites for two hours after a visit. The goal is to visit the most high-profile sites 5-6 times per day.
  • Trust Patrols: Officers build relationships with the community, starting with legacy businesses (20+ year family businesses). The goal is 6,000 visits by end of 2025. Officers also attend community events; residents can request visits via a website form.
• Councilwoman Sawyer referenced a 2021-2022 pilot on East Colfax that reduced crime by 30%, but noted staffing challenges. She suggested redeploying staff from other programs (e.g., SET team) during budget season.
• Councilwoman Gonzalez Gutierrez requested a briefing in the Safety Committee with data on outcomes and sustainability, emphasizing root causes over patrols. She cited Dr. Harold's research showing that crime displaces if only patrols are used.
• Councilwoman Lewis asked for clarification: PNI (Place Network Investigations) is a full wraparound service at 5 sites, while hot streets is a broader visibility patrol. She also asked about data collection for trust patrols; the Mayor said officers input into a centralized database.
• Council President Pro Tem Romero Campbell added that community responsibility is key, referencing Dr. Harold's presentation.
• Councilman Hines provided data points: in 2020, repurposing youth units led to increased youth violence; and DPD District 6 received a grant for additional patrols at Colfax and Ogden.
• Council President Sandoval suggested officers carry light bulbs to give out, referencing a past partnership with Excel Energy that reduced crime.

Key Outcomes

• The monthly service program will launch on August 17, 2024, with the Mayor's office sending social media content to council members. Feedback on scheduling and equity will be considered.
• The safety plan will be implemented with tracking of visits and crime data. The Mayor committed to a briefing in the Safety Committee, including data from pilot programs and national research.
• The meeting moved into executive session (motion passed unanimously) to discuss settlement of ongoing litigation pursuant to DRMC 234A3 and 6.