POLICE

What is ABLE?

e project, which was born out of a smaller-scale program at the New Orleans Police Department, aims to create a police culture in which ocers routinely intervene — and accept interventions — to prevent misconduct, avoid police mistakes and promote o cer health and wellness, the project’s website says.

“It’s really about reconceptualizing the relationship that o cers have to each other and emphasizing that loyalty to your fellow o cers actually looks like making sure that they’re doing the right thing, keeping them safe, keeping them out of trouble,” said Lisa Kurtz, the project’s director. “ at also then, of course, has the e ect of keeping the community safer as well.” e training covers many di erent real-life scenarios that o cers may face and teaches them techniques for stepping in, Kurtz said. ese scenarios range from excessive force to an o cer losing their temper to poor tactics, like an improperly handcu ed subject who is then able to cause damage or harm.

“ ere are all sorts of things that happen just because o cers are humans — they’re not perfect,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is empower them to really look out for each other and step in when they see those things happening.”

Prevention and wellness

In addition to stopping misconduct as it happens, Kurtz emphasized that the program has a largely preventative focus. It trains o cers to pay attention to their colleagues to stop potentially dangerous situations before they arise. For Stephens, this was one of the most valuable aspects of the program. He said it taught o cers that active bystandership is not restricted to ofcial actions — it’s also important for colleagues to look out for each other in other areas of their lives.

“Law enforcement culture has been very historically closed to that type of help, very private, but to be more open and accepting of, ‘Hey, there’s resources out there to help you,’” he said. “Whether it’s mental health, whether it’s substance abuse, whether it’s nancial (assistance) — any of the things that people have in their lives … Bystandership, it doesn’t just have to be on o cial police stu . It can be in people’s lives, too.”

Community support

Law enforcement agencies have to apply for the ABLE project to receive training. As part of the application process, they must submit letters of support from the community.

For Stephens, these letters were not di cult to come by, as community support was one of the reasons he wanted to pursue the program in the rst place.

“I was approached, probably a little over a year ago, by some community groups — faith-based community groups — that had seen this type of program being done in in Denver,” he said. “ ey liked it, so they set up a meeting with me and asked me what I thought … I couldn’t see a negative to it.”

One of the groups involved in the conversation was Together Colorado, a nonpartisan, multi-racial and multi-faith community organization that supported the implementation of ABLE at the Denver Police Department in 2020.

John Paul Marosy, a community leader on the “Transforming Justice” team within Together Colorado, said that after seeing Denver — and then the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce — implement the training, it seemed like a natural thing to reach out to the Littleton Police Department.

He said the faith communities he belongs to – and the others that came with him to approach Stephens – were deeply a ected by the death of George Floyd.

“Nearly all religious communities, regardless of what spiritual path they’re on, have come to some level of reckoning, I think, with what’s the role of a faith community to help prevent incidents like that?” said Marosy, who is both a Christian and has an active Buddhist practice. “ ere’s a recognition that we want to reduce su ering. We want to interrupt violence.”

He said he was delighted to hear that Stephens already had the program on his radar before they met with him.

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“We just hopefully served as a little bit of a catalyst to move him from being committed to doing it to taking the action step to see that it was implemented,” he said.

Transforming the system

Vickie Wilhite, another member of the “Transforming Justice” team, said the ABLE training ts into Together Colorado’s goals and mission.

“We are organizing for a transformed justice system that reckons with and undoes its role in upholding the legacy of slavery and white supremacy, and that insists on equitable care for all persons inside and outside of that system,” she read from their website. “ at’s like a prayer for us.”

Perhaps if a training like ABLE had been implemented before George Floyd was killed, that situation would not have happened, Wilhite said.

She added that the program can help police o cers support each other, noting that the suicide rate for law enforcement o cers is high. According to a 2021 study, law enforcement personnel are 54% more likely to die of suicide than people with other occupations.

“ ey are our community members as well, and anything we can do to help them be okay -- so even they don’t take that trauma outside -- we want them to get the help that they can,” she said.

Marosy said their team is aiming to work with the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce to encourage the program’s adoption there next.

With the evidence-based training making its way to more departments throughout Colorado, Marosy said he hopes communities and law enforcement agencies remain committed to the cause.

“ is is something very practical that every local community can do,” he said. “Hopefully, the focus on active bystandership remains strong as time goes by – then, we have a shot at systemic change.”

FROM PAGE 14 your own blueprint for success.

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Ruth Olga Hansen, age 91. Born on October 6, 1931 in Combined Locks, Wisconsin and passed away at her home in Englewood, Colorado on June 10, 2023. She was surrounded by her family. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, David L. Hansen, Sr. and her daughter Susan Hansen Babb. Ruth is survived by her daughter Cheryl (Larry) Cambra and son David L. Hansen,

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BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

They proudly call themselves the B.O.B. from the 303, bringing the Big Easy up to high altitudes with their soul-gripping blend of music stylings with New Orleans jazz.

Known for its vibrant nightlife and colorful buildings is the French Quarter. e French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans, and jazz is its heartbeat.

Breathing life into Bourbon Street are the sounds of brass instruments and drums continuously owing out of numerous jazz clubs. With just a trumpet, clarinet, berry sax, alto sax, trombone, snare, bass drum and tuba, the Brothers of Brass are bringing that one and only soulful heartbeat to Colorado.

“It’s a cultural tradition that most of the country doesn’t have,” said Armando Lopez, a member of the Brothers of Brass.

e group’s repertoire is a simmering mix of slow and angsty tunes and fast-paced tempos with a kick of familiar melodies. e Brothers of Brass blend of other genres like R&B, hip hop and psychedelic jam rock into each set.

A day after a tornado hit Highlands Ranch in late June, the Brothers of Brass dished out a much-needed evening of fun for the community. Soon, everyone went from clapping to full-out dancing, allowing concertgoers a chance to relax.

“It was nice to see so many kids, like, actually getting up out of their seats and the older people getting up and dancing and enjoying the music,” said Khalil Simon, who is originally from New Orleans. “It’s not so often that we get to play like New Orleans brass music for a crowd like this and appreciate it, that’s pretty unique.”

Not only did the band members interact with one another on stage throughout the night, they got the crowd involved by singing along and repeating after them. Although it was an outdoor concert, there was no excuse for the crowd not being loud enough.

Among some crowd favorites were “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr., and “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. And of course, they couldn’t call themselves a brass band without playing the beloved spiritual hymn “When the Saints Go Marching In.” e strong, powerful notes of brass instruments and the beautiful harmo-

In true New Orleans fashion, each band member was called out to do a solo, each one emoting a di erent feeling.

As the music continued and the sun began to set, the crowd let the good times roll as more children and adults came to the front of the stage, dancing as if it were Mardi Gras.

Just when the sun went behind the buildings, the Brothers of Brass were kind enough to strap on their instruments for an encore, playing “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.