Golden Transcript 0723

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July 23, 2020

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

GoldenTranscript.net

VOLUME 154 | ISSUE 33

Jeffco following state mask order after JCPH rescinds own order Decision made to avoid confusion BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Golden Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick (second from right on top) talks to the Golden City Council about policing in Golden during a July 16 virtual meeting. VIDEO SCREENSHOT

Golden council, police chief talk talk police policies Chief said PD should be considered exceptional BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With police accountability, racism and related issues continuing to be a major discussion topic both in Golden and nationwide since the murder of George Floyd, the Golden city council held a discussion of Golden Police Department policy and operations with Golden’s police chief and deputy police chief on July 16. Golden Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick said the discussion was the first time the city had held such a discussion in his 18-year career with the department. “We haven’t had this kind of conversation and I don’t know why not,” said Mayor Laura Weinberg.

“These are certainly important conversations to have to know that we know more about what is happening within the department and we can make sure we are aligned on those things that we expect for the city. I am sure this is the first of additional conversations and it certainly won’t be the last. Here are some of the highlights from the wide-ranging conversation, which touched on everything from department culture and use of force policies to how the provisions of Colorado’s new policing law will be implemented in Golden. PD culture and performance Kilpatrick said the department started making “incredible strides” 32 years ago when former police chief Russ Cook took over a department plagued by a bad reputation and poor standing in the community. In the last 31 years, the department

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14

has had only one officer involvedshooting, which resulted when officers were fired upon during a traffic stop. In that time, the department has not made payment on civil rights claims. “I hope you realize how extraordinary that is,” said Kilpatrick. “If you don’t believe me ask your city attorneys.” Department arrest numbers Deputy chief Joe Harvey said the department typically responds to between 35,000 and 40,000 calls for service and makes less than 1,000 arrests. In 2018, those numbers were 38,000 calls for service and 832 arrests. “I think our overall numbers are quite appropriate to the number of calls for service we take each year,” Harvey said. SEE POLICE, P3

JCPL OPENS

PERIODICAL

Jeffco libraries open up with new safety measures P4

Just two days after it issued a public health order requiring people in Jeffco to wear a face mask, JCPH has rescinded that order to let the county be governed solely by the face covering order issued by Gov. Jared Polis on July 16. A statement by JCPH indicated the decision to rescind the county order resulted from the agency’s desire to avoid confusion because the two orders were “substantially similar, though not identical.” One significant difference between the orders was that the state applies to those over 10 while the county order was for those 5 and over. The state order also applies only to those entering “public indoor space” while the county order applied to situations where six feet of social distancing could not be maintained, including outdoor situations. According to the statement, “all individuals and businesses within Jefferson County should follow the face covering requirements set forth in the state’s EO D 2020 138.” JCPH Executive Director Mark B. Johnson said on July 14 that he felt Jeffco needed a mask order because of recent increases in COVID-19 cases in Jeffco as well as elsewhere in the Denver metro area. Johnson said that he had previously SEE COUNTY, P6

PARK SPARK

Specialty parks around the metro area can offer something exciting and new for children P14


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