Denver voters will decide how independent police watchdog is hired

If Mayor Michael Hancock doesn’t name the city’s caller constabulary watchdog by the November election, helium mightiness not ever get the chance.

The City Council unanimously agreed Monday nighttime to spot a measurement connected Denver’s ballot this autumn which, if approved, would enactment the assignment of an autarkic show successful the hands of the unpaid Citizen Oversight Board, not the mayor.

The connection is the culmination of a years-long conversation surrounding the show and efforts to marque the presumption much autarkic of the politician and much escaped from imaginable conflicts of interest.

The Office of the Independent Monitor oversees each disciplinary investigations into Denver’s constabulary and sheriff’s departments, recommends argumentation changes and investigates incidents similar however constabulary handled the George Floyd protests successful 2020. Nick Mitchell served arsenic the show from 2012 to January erstwhile helium near to overhaul Los Angeles’ jailhouse system. There is an interim monitor during the hunt for Mitchell’s imperishable replacement.

If the Citizen Oversight Board is fixed the work to name a monitor, the City Council would person to o.k. it.

There are different changes successful beforehand of voters, similar allowing the show to prosecute extracurricular attorneys alternatively than relying connected the metropolis attorney’s bureau and giving astir of the office’s employees much protections than at-will unit have.

A five-person committee to regenerate Mitchell started vetting candidates successful March but Councilmember Jamie Torres, who sits connected the committee, said earlier this period the radical had not yet met with immoderate candidates.

Councilwoman Robin Kniech confirmed that if Hancock does not name a caller show by the election, helium could suffer the opportunity. She added that she hopes helium picks Mitchell’s replacement arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Hancock spokesperson Mike Strott said the politician is not “generally opposed” to the proposals and helium plans to nominate Mitchell’s replacement aft the screening committee submits their 3 finalists to him.