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February 28, 2019
DENVER Since 1926
DENVER, COLORADO
A publication of
PONDERING POETRY The poetry scene is gaining popularity in the area with many places to share P8
Pilot program to try diversion for some crimes State grant will last through middle of 2020 BY DAVID SACHS DENVERITE.COM
Kathy Sommers celebrates with a student after making it through a croquet wicket. Sommers said she had not played croquet in 20 years and that it was nice to enjoy the game again. KAILYN LAMB
‘The power of play’ Wash Park nonprofit brings people together over croquet BY KAILYN LAMB KLAMB@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The diagnosis of his dads’ vascular dementia 10 years ago changed the course of James Creasey’s life. His dad, Maxwell, lived in Sevenoaks in southwest England, where Creasy was born. Creasy had moved to Colorado in 1978. But Creasy decided he would visit his dad for two
weeks, every 10 weeks, for the rest of his dad’s life. As Creasey and his five siblings tried to navigate the weight of their father’s disease, each tried to find something to help them bond with him. That quest led Creasey to croquet — and an idea he would bring back to the United States for dementia patients here. The Creasey siblings slowly found ways to connect with their father. They found more complex or fast games were lost after the diagnosis. Some activities were based on memories the family had of their father. SEE PLAY, P4
HOW TO PLAY A game of croquet with four players has two teams. The first team plays with the blue and black balls, and the second plays with red and yellow. The players take one shot per turn, following a color sequence painted on the center peg of a croquet set. The goal is to get the ball through the hopes in order. The first team to get to seven points wins. For more information on how to play, go to http://www.denvercroquetclub.com/ how-to-play/.
Denver’s criminal justice arm will ease up on people arrested for “low-level” drug and prostitution crimes, city officials announced Feb. 19. But only some will benefit from the new policy. The approach aims to divert people from jail and into health-care services, job training, housing and mental health services so they can get back on their feet and break the cycle of recidivism. People arrested for certain drug possession crimes — without intent to distribute — will qualify. People who engage in prostitution, shoplifting, trespassing, breaking curfew and disturbing the peace (no domestic violence) can also get leniency. “With this program, we can prevent people from getting caught in the endless cycle of incarceration, saving taxpayer money,” said Kevin Kelly with the Denver Office of Behavioral Health Strategies. “And we can empower people to live better who are typically facing extraordinary barriers to accessing the services they need.” But there’s a but: Only officers trained on the new model can divert arrestees to social services, and the program applies only to the police districts that cover the north half of Denver (excluding Stapleton, east). That’s where data show the program will benefit the most offenders. Yet demand for services is “far bigger than we can handle at our current size,” Kelly wrote via email. SEE DIVERSION, P7
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
“This is another tool that law enforcement has been asking for to help them to do their job as effectively as they can.” State Rep. Tom Sullivan, on the “red flag” bill | Page 5 INSIDE
VOICES: PAGE 6 | LIFE: PAGE 8 | CALENDAR: PAGE 11 VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 17