Thread by @KaylaQFrawley

Thankful to see Gianna Horton from the Denver Justice Project & @intrfthalliance and their great questions to the candidates for the Independent Monitor position.

Have you heard of the candidates?

Bit.ly/IndependentMon…

They are going in. #denverliving #copolitics

Shara Smith coming through @intrfthalliance with some great questions:

“What do you believe is the role of the independent monitor of ensuring the safety of marginalized groups? “

Candidate Liz Castle says we should have police & law enforcement make better connections to communities, not all communities are the same and need different approaches.

Mary Opler is speaking about #ClubQ & how hate crimes have sky rocketed, that Denver can do more.

Mary Opler really smashed that question. Really great response.

Next we’re hearing from @TogetherCO and Marilynn - question: recommendations for discipline actions - how will you ensure transparency?

Q was for Mary specifically.

Mary adds a framework, a matrix and releasing it to the public. Mary wants to get the public more info on cases they are passionate about - they have an example of what other states have done that they have worked on.

Mary mentions that we need to envision the next 10 yrs

Liz Castle - tells us that the independent monitor can not come out and say recommendations - it is legally confidential - so the independent monitor could be expanded by - addressing wether the discipline is appropriate.

#copolitics

Next we got Alexander Landau from reimagining policing and public safety. We know he’s got incredible questions:

How will you make sure police are tracking data on race, gender, why they were stopped, what was the resolve, etc. we need this data to address systemic racism.

Mary adds - they’d like to see a list of recommendations, use the office to shed light on these things, collect this data better, and transparency with the public - there is also work to be done with politicians and partners. #copolitics

Liz adds - that we are starting to see some numbers on the Denver Police Dash Board and we’re still having Denver Police not producing body cams - even tho they are supposed to, so enforcement will be a necessary need from the independent monitor.

13 community questions!

🔥 from Jessie - how can OIM get more teeth?

Liz reviews the charter - the OIM reviews police discipline, and we can subpoena - and offer input on discipline. Mediation is another thing Liz would like to see - between law enforcement and community

Mary says - use the press and the public more!

Mary speaks to the slow process of actually subpoenaing information - and in terms of getting critical things done - you need to meet with folks constantly & work behind the scenes to fix transparency.

Mary said that mediation is a great tool but it was instituted before we got body cameras - and it had a 60% approval rating from the public and 100% from the police - so it really serves the police as is and would need an update. #copolitics

The more you know the more you care

Next community Q:

OIM has to work well with others - what is the longest time you’ve worked for a public agency? 🔥#copolitics

Mary has spent their career as a public servant and is clear that not being from Denver is their 1 draw back; but a pro: they don’t have any agendas

Liz has served with the public defenders office for 12 years, did bond hearings before that, once in private practice - she’s continued the same work since 2000. Also fun fact: Liz is a mom of 3; we like lived expertise here.

#copolitics

Next Q from @RoshanBliss :

How will you deal with the responsibility of sharing or saying or navigating having to share bad news/make decisions that will make folks hate you/etc.

Liz says - we follow the facts. Refers to her work on the body cameras and their evolution.

Mary goes into their work with crisis intervention & FEMA & being a public servant and how crisis management skills are necessary to give bad news, hard news, horrific news. Being respectful and giving the right to talk peace is important adds Mary. #copolitics #Denver

Coalition partner - @rmnaacp & greater metro Denver ministerial Alliance Pastor Mayes - Q:

What is the biggest way you balance of progress when we’ve had so much turn over in different leadership?

#copolitics Liz starts with saying we need culture change with police not policy

Liz speaks to multiple projects that community has put together - MAT program, STAR program, other inside programs. She says community has to come in and changing culture is hard. She says there seems to be a willingness with DPD to build bridges with community. #copolitics

Mary is saying that the STAR program is an example of making new programs beneficial for all (police and community) always being respectful and having transparency is important, & always coming with receipts

Mary speaks to their tenacity to hold feet to the fire 🔥 #copolitics

Next community Q:

There is a big trust gap between community and police - can you tell us a time when you created trust with a new local community?

GOOD QUESTION 🔥❤️

Mary: speaks to real experience in their professional background of concerning really diverse stakeholders

Mary continues: mainstream white America is now waking up to things communities of color have known for a while.

Mary speaks to their relationship building skills of being authentic and following up. #copolitics

Liz speaks to her lived experience as a person from a marginalized community - which she says means a lot of things, cause communities of color are not homogenous and they are very diverse.

She speaks to working w/ marginalized community members & how she was called terms like

‘Public pretender’ and ‘rent a lawyer’

She speaks to realizing that individuals aren’t separated from their communities and culture and how she understands what it means to connect to marginalized communities as a marginalized community member.

#interview #copolitics #OIM

#candidates get a community Q about the the OIM sharing info - and Liz tells us that OIM doesn’t have access to evidence.com and often stories will get spun quickly (happened a couple weeks back - re: police shooting downtown) - cause the public doesn’t get info.

Mary speaks to how we don’t have info cause it’s under current investigation and that the case of this shooting in #Denver rang across offices all the way to Sacramento. #copolitics

Q: greatest weakness and strength of the office as it stands?

Liz: the OIM has been run the last two years well & the OIM is praised. weakness: OIM can’t impose discipline. She spoke a lot about the credibility of the office & the movement in law enforcement. #copolitics

Mary - also praising the current OIM office’s work. The staff at the OIM is real stable - and the secondary trauma and turn over is real - Mary thanks the staff. #copolitics weakness: now with the COB there is a new push. Shout out to allowing over sight from COB & not the mayor.

Mary says #activist shouldn’t be a dirty word, it should be a vital stakeholder in this.

Alexander Landau has another Q - there is a 112 recommendations & both programs for parking with our #unhoused neighbors - he says there is an over reach with this population -

He asks what oversight the OIM will have over those programs?

Mary answers - these programs are vital and we need to ensure they are working. OIM should have a role to hash out issues, to address this stuff & even get into policy work. #copolitics

Liz speaks about the arrest rate about union station (but there’s no one there right now cause they got kicked out right?) is at about 1000, she speaks to SET & STAR as a service to keep track of what law enforcement is doing.

She talks of crimes unhoused folks are arrested

Thank you Julia Richman, great moderating!

Thank you @TogetherCO @intrfthalliance @DenverTaskForce Denver Citizen Oversight Board, & all community members making sure we have a good OIM #copolitics #denverpolice #communitysafety