ABOUT THE TASK FORCE

Overview: The Task Force to Reimaging Policing and Public Safety is a community based initiative arising out of the tragic aftermath of the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis; and the many problematic policing deaths of citizens here in Denver, as well as the subsequent nationwide Black Lives Matter solidarity protests demanding the structural transformation of policing. The Task Force to Reimagining Policing and Public Safety (Task Force) is the result of conversations from town halls with community members, faith leaders, service providers, elected officials and Denver Department of Public Safety determined to move towards action and healing.

Goal: Our goal with this Task Force is to identify the best ideas and practices both from Denver and around the nation, and develop a comprehensive community-based approach to policing and public safety. Together, we will create policy and budget proposals for
the city that invest in the community in order to increase public safety and community well-being. While other cities across the nation are engaging in similar work, what makes this initiative unique is that it is completely community-led. This initiative is a collaboration between many community partners, covering a wide range of people groups and areas of expertise.

Method: The methods to achieve this goal will be through convening a community-based task force, consulting with subject matter experts, identifying research-based solutions, creating comprehensive public policies, generating and disseminating a report of findings and recommendations, and advocating for public policy changes.

Our Team

HISTORY OF THE TASK FORCE FORMATION

The Task Force led by Project Coordinator Dr. Robert L. Davis, consisted of over 50 community organizations, and countless individual citizens in cooperation with Denver City Government. The collaborative group met consistently for over two years researching, analyzing data, deconstructing and reconstructing policing models and hearing the impacted community voices while reaching out to various partners across the country who also were endeavoring to do this important work.

Out of all of this painstaking work, the “Denver 112” was created. The Denver 112 references the historic112 Denver community led collaborative recommendations that were submitted to Denver’s Mayor and City Council to not only Reimagining Policing in Denver but actually manifesting change through these 112 thoroughly vetted recommendations. It is our belief that these 112 recommendations can transform our archaic policing models of today to a Community Led Policing Model that will ensure equity and safety for all Denver citizens. The Task Force believes strongly that these 112 transformative recommendations can be the guidelines for other City Jurisdictions across the country who also are bold enough to dare to “reimagine policing and public safety” in their municipal areas.

Our Recommendations