On Monday, the 2012 Martin Luther King Day Holiday, the ACLU Race To Justice Coalition called on Denver City Council to demand a start to the process of bringing a new Independent Monitor to the city..
In a letter on behalf of the Coalition, ACLU of Colorado Public Policy Director Denise Maes wrote: "In Denver, high-profile police brutality – and high-dollar police brutality lawsuit settlements – have become, sadly, all too common. ... On Friday to the astonishment of many, the civil service commission reinstated two fired police officers with back pay to 2009, causing flashbacks for the victims of police brutality with whom we work and raising widespread questions from the public, activists and the media.
"It is for all these reasons that the Race to Justice coalition, a group of faith leaders, civil rights organizations and those directly affected by police violence and misconduct, write to ask you to call on Mayor Michael Hancock to move decisively to start the process to fill the position of the Independent Monitor," Maes continued.
As we await a response from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding our call for an independent investigation of police brutality and unsafe police practices in Denver, read the letter and call your Council member so that Mayor Hancock will fill the position of Independent Monitor now.
Update:
On Tuesday, May 15, 2012, the Denver Post published an important guest commentary by Race 2 Justice activist Mark Cohen. Read it here.