Message from the Executive Director
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Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Department of Public Safety’s electronic newsletter. As Executive Director, I believe it is important to highlight your achievements and the great work you engage in every day, and this newsletter is one of the mechanisms we will use to do just that. It will be shared with the department’s 4,400 employees and anyone who would like to be included on the distribution list.
Let me begin by reiterating what I have said publicly: the Department of Public Safety is comprised of the most talented and focused public safety professionals I have ever seen in any city. It is very clear that your collective work is why Denver is considered one of the safest cities in America.
One of the main reasons I wanted to work in Denver is because Mayor Hancock truly understands that our city will never realize its full potential until all of our residents have the opportunity to succeed. I share this view and believe that we have the ability to help that notion become a reality if we work together as a department.
Individuals within my office are currently compiling information to identify residents who need assistance. Their goal is to gather information on the following:
- Poverty: What is the level of poverty in various areas of our city? How many people are struggling with inadequate education that is leading to poverty? What is the level of food insecurity?
- Those left behind by Denver’s recent prosperity: How do we identify those who feel left out? What about new residents who moved here for opportunities? Does our immigrant community feel welcomed? What about those reentering society after being incarcerated?
- Health Issues: How prevalent is mental illness? What type of dependency issues are we facing? Are quality of life issues impacting the health of our neighborhoods?
Many may wonder how these considerations are related to public safety. The reality is, they are issues that can lead to a degradation of our residents’ quality of life, and that can impact long-term public safety. It is a necessity for us to focus on these issues and proactively become involved in finding solutions.
We, however, will not be able to do this alone. It will take collaboration with city partners, faith-based institutions, non-profits, community organizations and other stakeholders for us to see immediate and future success.
While we are gathering information to build a path forward, we need your help. Please share this information with any group you think could be part of developing solutions. I, or someone from the public safety team, will be happy to meet with them and discuss how we can make a difference for all of Denver’s residents through a collective effort.
Thank you for your help and continued service. May God Bless and keep you and our community safe.
Troy Riggs
Executive Director of Public Safety
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We Rise by Lifting Others
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Thanks to the generous sponsorship provided by the Daniels Fund, 50 Denver Police recruits participated in the last week’s
Special Olympics Polar Plunge and 5k Run
. On March 5, 2018, the Daniels Fund presented a $1,850 check to Special Olympics Colorado on behalf of the Denver Police recruit class to cover their event registration which allows them to focus on raising additional donations. The Denver Police Department proudly raises money throughout the year benefiting Special Olympics Colorado, and raised more than $45,000 in 2017, earning them the honor of Special Olympics Colorado 2017 Agency of the Year!
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First African-American Woman Promoted to Engineer
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Congratulations to new
Engineer Twannia Clark
, the first African-American woman to be promoted to the rank of engineer in the Denver Fire Department’s 152-year history, and her twenty-five fellow promotes who were honored on February 16, 2018.
Felicitations are also in order for nine sheriff deputies that promoted to sergeant on March 2, 2018.
The sheriff department also welcomed thirty-two deputy sheriffs to the department on February 23, 2018, and six security specialists will graduate on March 23, 2018.
We wish you the best in your new positions!
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Denver Sheriff Department Celebrates the Joy of Reading
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Green Eggs and Ham, The Little Prince, Pippi Longstocking, Where the Wild Things Are
…what tales do you remember best from your childhood? To celebrate the love of reading and books, the National Education Foundation asked parents, educators, and supporters across the nation to share which childhood book means the most to them on March 2
nd
, the birthday of beloved children’s author Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss). Several troops from the Denver Sheriff Department answered the call this year, reading some of their favorite children’s books to Maxwell Elementary School students during their Read Across America Day Celebration. Way to support the joy of reading!
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Public Safety Youth Programs Recognized for Influential Work
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Public Safety Youth Programs (PSYP) was recently recognized by two different organizations for its influential work. Nicely done!
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The Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion named the Public Safety Youth Programs their 2017 “Organization of the Year” in recognition of the peer mentoring, training and support services the agency offered to those who attend the program. The Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion was established as a multi-cultural, all-inclusive program designed for high school students in the Denver Metropolitan area to provide personal development experiences and recognition. PSYP’s contributions help participants focus on achieving their personal, academic and professional goals while making meaningful contributions to their communities.
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The Public Safety Youth Leadership Team recently participated in Youth-Led Health Assessment listening sessions about challenges affecting their health and the health of their families and communities. The team engaged other Denver area youth to participate in the listening sessions or focus groups, and collectively, they provided valuable input from the youth perspective and defined “What success looks like in their communities” as it relates to healthy outcomes.
Thank you, Public Safety Youth Programs for empowering our youth to share their voice!
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Honoring Women in Law Enforcement
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Last month, we said farewell to
former Executive Director of Public Safety, Stephanie O’Malley
, who led the department for four years. We thanked her for her work and commitment to the department and wished her the very best in her new position in the administration. During her farewell ceremony, the president of the Denver Police Museum announced that Ms. O’Malley has been selected as an honoree for this year’s
Honoring Women in Law Enforcement Ceremony
. For more information regarding the ceremony, please email
denverpolicemuseum@gmail.com
or call (720) 913-6779.
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ResponderStrong Appoints Department of Public Safety Troops to Advisory Board
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We are proud to share that
Jacob Matthews, Denver Sheriff Department Early Outreach Program Coordinator, and
Denver Fire Chief Eric Tade were selected to contribute their extensive skills and knowledge to the ResponderStrong Advisory Board.The ResponderStrong Advisory Board consists of twenty members from various backgrounds that have demonstrated a passion for advancing mental health support for Colorado emergency responders and their families. Initially, a board of only eleven members was planned, but the breadth of expertise and the credentials of the nominees were so impressive, they opted to expand the board to twenty members.
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Community Corrections Pre-Trial Officer Recognized by Metro Gang Task Force
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In January,
Community Corrections Pre-Trial Officer, Heather Becker, received a Commendation from the Metro Gang Task Force for her diligence and devotion to duty. With Ms. Becker’s assistance, a lucrative theft ring operating within our community was apprehended and brought to justice. This is a great example of how one person can impact public safety for the better. Well done Heather!
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D911 Supervisor Among Newest CPEs
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Congratulations to
D911 Emergency Communications Supervisor Matthew Fuller
(first row, second from left) for earning the prestigious professional designation of Certified Public-Safety Executive! Drawing on resources from renowned leadership professionals and distinguished academic resources, the Certified Public-Safety Executive Program (CPE) allows participants to explore topics that relate to unique leadership issues in public safety. After completing twelve weeks of online courses, CPE candidates head to APCO headquarters in Daytona Beach for an intensive nine-day capstone seminar. Kudos to Matthew!
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March 2, 2018 was an emotional day for the Gang Reduction Initiative of Denver, as staff and community members offered their best wishes to
“Original” GRID member Johnny Santos, as he embarks on a new career with the Aurora Police Department. Since GRID’s inception in 2011, Johnny trained hundreds of case managers, police officers, counselors, teachers and others to better understand and work with gang affiliated clients. He provided services to Denver youth, adults and families and touched the lives of hundreds of individuals attempting to extricate themselves from the gang lifestyle. Johnny’s hard work and sincere interest in helping others aided GRID’s success, and will undoubtedly compliment his future work as a police officer. Thank you for your service, Johnny – continue to shine as bright as your new badge!
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Last year DPD partnered with DHMC paramedics and Denver Public Schools to train teachers on school critical incident responses. This training is unique in that DPD is training the teachers and staff on what they can expect from first responders during a critical incident
and providing first aid training, hence, “Stop the Bleed.” DPD also provided tourniquets as part of the training. The DPS teachers and staff were very receptive and we are confident this effort will save lives in the event of a critical incident.
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During the month of March, tune into Jammin 101.5 and FLO 107.1 to listen for commercials featuring our very own Sheriff Deputies!
Deputy Firebaugh, Deputy Garcia, Deputy Laing, Deputy Lobato and Deputy Thompson each recorded a commercial that highlights what they do and how they make a difference as members of the Sheriff Department.
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