Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and other city leaders rolled out a new plan for downtown safety Wednesday after pressure from business leaders and others over rough times in a downtown shocked by violence. It’s a place where disturbing crimes have shaken confidence, businesses, and reputations.
“We understand the value of presence,” said police chief Ron Thomas.
Johnston is promising a three-point plan that includes law enforcement and accountability, services, prevention and intervention, and economic development.
“Today is about our commitment to all three of those pillars,” said Johnston.
There will be 10 more officers on foot patrol, plus additional officers on bike and motorcycle patrol as well as three more shifts of park rangers mounted on horseback. The 16th Street Mall will get a police kiosk at Arapahoe. There will also be additional bike paramedics, fire paramedic units and mental health and substance abuse team members added.
The perception of crime as well as actual incidents have impacted visitors and business.
“That’s been the consensus with everybody. There’s people that are afraid to come downtown from the suburbs,” said Mitchell Santee, owner of Mario’s Speakeasy. He wonders about the ability of police to fill out the additional staffing. “Honestly, I don’t think they have enough officers to do that.”
“It’s a start,” said Steve Weil, President of Rockmount Ranch Wear, about adding officers. “I feel safe here,” he explained. But late at night there have been problems.
“My issue is that the bad stuff really happens after midnight. The question is, what’s the coverage from midnight until three or four in the morning?” Johnston announced in the news conference that more officers during those hours on Friday and Saturday nights.
“You’ll also see additional surge capacity officers for what we call the let out,” said Johnston.
“I’ve worked down here probably for the last six years. I don’t worry about when I’m leaving here at midnight at all, about really anything. But again you’ll hear sirens here and there,” said downtown worker Byron Knott. There were always people who would do “stupid things,” he said, noting additional officers should help. “If you know that there’s cops right literally around the corner and the likelihood of you getting caught are you still going to do that one stupid thing?”
The city will also add paramedics on bikes and two paramedic units, as well as mental health and addiction experts, said Johnston. But there’s more to it, said Weil. “The number one issue here beyond crime is reactivating downtown.” He suggested a referendum to bring city and state workers back to the office five days a week rather than allowing part-time work from home.
“Which to me is terrible optics,” he said about those workers not in the office downtown. “It’s time to set an example,” he said, for government workers to return so others will follow.
