🎙️ Mayor Mike Johnston responds to Flock concerns

We’re back with more recommendations from City Cast Denver Neighbors about their fave local people, spots, and organizations in the Mile High, so they can become your favorites too 💕

📣 Jon E. shouts out East Fax Tap for “amazing punk shows, affordable drinks, and a great vibe — support independent Colfax businesses!”

📣 Ashley W. shouts out Cuppa coffee and tea in LoHi. “For all the tea lovers, their speciality tea drink selection is superb! And coffee lovers will find all their favorites, plus additional creative offerings.”

📣 Eric R. shouts out Bluebird Cafe in Thornton! “Get lavender lemonade (in a lemonade flight).”

Become a City Cast Denver Neighbor today to share your own shoutout in this newsletter and on the podcast 🎤

🏳️‍🌈 2030 Gay Games Will Not Come to Denver

One of the top two finalists, the Mile High City lost its bid to host the 2030 Gay Games to Perth, Australia. The decision comes as the U.S. increasingly adopts anti-LGBTQ and anti-immigration policies at the federal level. [Denverite]

🚔 More Police Chases Mean More Arrests — and Injuries

In the six months after the Aurora Police Department loosened its rules for vehicle pursuits, the number of car chases increased tenfold — more than the city has seen in the last five years combined. As a result, arrests have increased, but so have related injuries — for suspects, officers, and bystanders — which have quintupled, begging the question: are the risks worth the rewards? [Denver Post 🔒]

🚏 RTD Will Keep Elevators Open at More Stations

RTD has expanded its “open elevator” program to a total of five light rail stations (and hopes to add two more before the end of the year) citing a significant reduction in crime as a result of the program. The agency first piloted the idea of keeping elevator doors perpetually open to curb illegal activity last summer. [Denver7]

⚖️ City Pawns Off Massive Police Misconduct Settlement

A Denver jury awarded six people $20 million in one of the biggest jury awards for police misconduct in state history, but where that money will come from is still unclear. The city has wriggled out of financial responsibility for the settlement, saying the officer involved should be the one to pay up — leaving plaintiffs wondering when or if they’ll ever actually see that money. [Denverite]

Denver’s use of Flock surveillance equipment has generated pushback and privacy concerns from residents. Law enforcement agencies tout it as a game-changer for criminal investigations, but critics call it a breach of civil liberties. Last week, when Mayor Mike Johnston unilaterally decided to extend Flock’s contract with the city, hundreds of residents packed a town hall meeting in protest. So, we sat down with the mayor and asked him to address residents’ concerns directly.

Federal Interference and Immigration Enforcement Concerns

Mayor Johnston tells us that the city has shut down access to Denver’s Flock database to any entity outside the city of Denver, including at the state and federal level. More than that, Johnston says the city has limited the database’s search capacity so even Denver police officers can only make searches related to specific crimes — none of which can be related to immigration.

“Now the only people that can access it are Denver police officers. Those Denver police officers are sworn not to ask someone’s status,” the mayor says. “And if Trump or anyone else comes to [Flock] to subpoena data … they can’t ever give up our data without us,” he adds. If Flock were to violate those terms of the contract? “They’ll pay $100,000 if there’s ever an infraction of any sort.”

Defending an Executive, Unilateral Decision

Despite the fact that City Council previously voted against a Flock contract extension, the mayor went forward with a contract at an amount just under the threshold that would require council approval — a move that looked a lot like an attempt to circumvent City Council.

The mayor rejects that allegation. “If you remember, I was the one that asked the city council to vote down the measure,” he says. After that, he says he asked for time to come up with an alternative. “We've come up with a better system, and now we have a chance to pilot this at no cost, which is entirely what the law allows and requires in Denver. And if there is gonna be a new cost, we will bring it back to council, and they'll have to vote to pass it.”

Reader Ben P. puts it bluntly: “In a city that just had a massive protest around executive power, how are you comfortable with your decision?”

Johnston defended himself against the comparison to President Trump. “I think when you're talking about a president who's weaponizing the Department of Justice, or who's letting Bitcoin CEOs buy their way into pardons, or taking people off the street without due process and disappearing them to El Salvador, those two conversations should never happen in the same sentence.”

👉 Psst! Want more? Hear from the mayor on the Vibrant Denver bond, the future of the Denver Pavilions, and more…

Tune into the whole convo ⬇️ 🎧