In a letter, Director of Safety Murphy Robinson accused the group of marginalizing police.

By David Sachs

On June 17, 2020, after public opinion swelled against the traditional role of policing in cities across the country, Denver Director of Public Safety Robinson committed to a “transformation” of law enforcement that would be led by locals.

“To do this, I believe that we must shut our mouths and open our ears, ready to hear the community and how they want policing and criminal justice and the system to look in the 21st century,” Robinson said.

Seven months later, Robinson and his representatives with the Denver Police Department have pulled out of the resident-led task force leading the conversation.

“I was optimistic about the potential these meetings would have to drive positive and collaborative change but must share that I am increasingly concerned about the direction these meetings have taken,” Robinson wrote in an email dated Jan. 13 to Robert Davis, who co-leads the Reimagine Policing and Public Safety Task Force.

Robinson claimed that the task force has marginalized the voices of three law enforcement officials in the group. He accused Davis of “directing them to refrain from sharing their thoughts, comments, and experiences, limiting their role to answering questions.”

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE