I am horrified by the killing of police officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in New York City.  I grieve for their families, and I sympathize with the outrage of the law enforcement community.  At the same time, I remain horrified by the killing of Eric Garner and other victims of police violence.  I grieve for their families, and I sympathize with the outrage of protesters.  Are these sentiments contradictory?  I don’t think so.
The violent death of any person in our society is tragic, no matter what that person’s race or position may be.  No matter what a family looks like, the violent loss of a loved one causes anguish and anger.  When a whole community feels under attack, communal outrage is to be expected.
To prevent escalating cycles of violence and revenge, our laws and constitutional principles are supposed to seek accountability with due process, without cruel or unusual punishment, and with equal protection for all.  When those systems fail to provide justice equally applied, there are constitutionally-protected outlets for protest through free speech, the right of assembly, and the right to petition for redress of grievances.
These rights of protest are being exercised by thousands of people who see or suffer from widespread injustice through racial bias in our criminal justice system and excessive use of force with impunity by law enforcement.  The problem is real--the stories and statistics do not lie.  Colorado is not exempt from these problems, and the resulting anger should not be a surprise.
Now a man who apparently shot his girlfriend in Baltimore and threatened online to kill police has gone on to ambush and murder officers Liu and Ramos in New York before killing himself.  He did not act at the behest of those protesting injustice and he certainly did not listen to the family of Eric Garner, who could not have been clearer in calling for nonviolent response.
New York law enforcement had the option of helping de-escalate violence by making clear that nonviolent protesters were not to blame for this horrific killing, but instead, in their anger, some police representatives placed blame for the deaths on protesters and any politicians willing to listen to those protesters.
The last thing our nation needs is an escalating war between police and the communities they are supposed to serve and protect.  We have already moved too far down the road of police militarization.  Even more aggressive policing with impunity for police violence will only make everyone less safe and put more of our civil liberties in danger.
We should also be skeptical of inflammatory stories in the media.  Protests on the ground in Ferguson, Missouri, led primarily by women of color, have been overwhelmingly peaceful over a long period of time, but no one would have that impression from most media coverage of Ferguson.  Locally in Denver, you might have thought from media headlines that East High School protesters caused the injuries of officer John Adsit when that was not the case.  In fact, East students and their families have raised over $10,000 for the Adsit family, wishing for his recovery.  At the ACLU, we share in that wish.
Everyone has a role in de-escalating violence, which is why de-escalation skills are a part of ACLU Know Your Rights trainings for police encounters or protests.  These are good skills for anyone to know, but in the case of law enforcement, knowing how to manage anger and de-escalate violence is not just a good idea, it is a professional responsibility.  As carriers of government power, police are bound by the constitution and by their oaths and codes of ethics.  Police officers do have difficult jobs, and honoring these codes is part of the challenge.  With respect to accountability under the law, recognizing and overcoming bias, preventing violence and acting with respect even if faced with disrespect, law enforcement should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one.
In response to student protests locally, a conversation on race was begun by Denver Mayor Hancock at the Colorado History Center on December 19.  There was not room for all the people who wanted to be present.  The session barely touched upon some core issues of police accountability, but it will prove valuable if it begins a path toward real education and real reform.  A deeper conversation was held in the same space the next day at a community-led discussion on Black Lives and White Allies.  What is clear is that these issues are not going away and there is much work to be done.  I commend those in Colorado law enforcement who are reaching out to black leaders and youth of color.  Some have reached out to the ACLU as well.  In the face of loss of life and tragedy, we have a choice of withdrawing and resisting change, or of coming together and doing the tough work of reform.  Only the latter will save lives in the long run.

December 12, 2014
DENVER, CO – Jim Davis, former head of the FBI's Denver office, who was recruited by Mayor Michael Hancock to lead the reform effort for the Denver Sheriff Department has come out in support of the “extreme interrogation techniques” used by the CIA, even though a new Senate Intelligence Committee report has found that “torture doesn't work and shouldn't be employed by our country."

Davis was hired after the city agreed to pay $3.25 million to former inmate Jamal Hunter who was tortured by inmates as his genitals were burned over several hours apparently facilitated and encouraged by a DSD deputy who ignored his screams.  Hunter was also later choked by a deputy, pinned down by several other officers and then shocked twice with a Taser stun gun as a result of seeking medical attention for his torture injuries.
Davis was issued $80,000 for a five-month contract  that runs through Dec. 31 funded by taxpayer dollars. The CLF and the ACLU of Colorado find it disturbingly contradictory that a person who supports the torture of human beings is leading the charge to curtail inmate abuse.
“While positive steps have recently been taken, comments by Mayoral representatives that condone torture sets the City back in its efforts to promote community healing and transform a culture of violence that is still pervasive in Denver’s public safety departments,” said Rudy Gonzales, Co-chair of the Colorado Latino Forum, Denver Chapter.
On December 3^rd CLF Denver Chapter Issued a Declaration of Human Rights for Denver Public Safety Department Reform urging the Mayor and City leaders to admit systemic failures and rebuild community trust. CLF also encouraged public officials to join the national dialogue to explore ways to build trust and confidence between police and minority communities nationwide and recommend ways the government can support accountability, transparency and trust in law enforcement.
“Representatives of the City of Denver need to send a consistent message about the fair, dignified and humane treatment of all detained persons,” said ACLU Public Policy Director Denise Maes
On January 10th CLF will convene the 6^th Annual Colorado Latino Forum Public Policy Summit at the Tivoli hosted by Metropolitan State University of Denver. As a follow-up to the CLF Denver Chapter’s 21-page public safety report members will also address criminal justice and prosecutorial reform.
To register please visit www.coloradolatinoforum.org. To receive information, submit names of subject matter experts, become a sponsor or set up an information table, please email [email protected] with your request.

December 12, 2014
DENVER - The Colorado Division of Youth Corrections (DYC), in close collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, recently adopted a landmark policy regarding the treatment of LGBTQI youth in the department’s care, including transgender and intersex youth.
The new policy will ensure that DYC staff is properly trained to meet the needs of transgender and intersex youth, that appropriate healthcare will be provided to them, that housing and search decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, that youth are permitted to use the restroom consistent with their gender identity, that preferred names, pronouns, and uniforms are honored, and that seclusion will not be used as a method to keep LGBTQI youth ‘safe.’
Statement of ACLU of Colorado Policy and Outreach Associate Sarah Spears:

“The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado commends the Colorado Department of Youth Corrections for making significant strides in its treatment of transgender and intersex youth by implementing this new LGBTQI statewide policy.
“DYC recognized that in order to fulfill its mission to protect, restore, and improve public safety by preparing youth to become responsible citizens, the staff must fully understand and be equipped to provide a most basic need for transgender youth, acknowledgement of identity.
“To its credit, DYC has risen to this challenge and is laying sensible groundwork to meet the needs of an increasingly visible LGBTQI youth population.
“An ACLU investigation, which followed complaints of discrimination and mistreatment from a transgender youth in DYC’s care, lay bare that DYC did not have policy or training in place to deal with issues related to gender identity and repeatedly failed to recognize the innate needs of transgender youth.
“Transgender youth are an especially vulnerable population that faces widespread bias, mistreatment, and discrimination, leading to tragically high depression and suicide rates.  The National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 41% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide in their lifetime; nearly nine times that of the general public.
“DYC joins a small but growing number of other states and departments, including the Denver Sheriff Department, in enacting policy to protect the rights of transgender and intersex individuals in a correctional setting.
“By addressing the needs of this vulnerable population, DYC will be better positioned to achieve its mission. We are eager to see the implementation of this policy bring words into practice.”