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July 1, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
JeffcoTranscript.com
VOLUME 37 | ISSUE 49
Lakewood eyes rules for metro districts BY ALEC WILLIAMS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
District Attorney Alexis King into whether there was appropriate conduct on the part of responding APD officers. One Arvada police officer has been put on administrative leave, according to APD Public Relations Officer Dave Snelling. APD Chief Link Strate called Hurley a “hero” and said that his actions prevented further casualties, adding that the APD has not made any prior connection between Hurley and Troyke. “(Hurley) is a true hero,” said Strate at a June 22 press conference.
The Lakewood City Council mapped out the future of metropolitan districts in the city at their Monday evening study session meeting, continuing a year’s work that council members hope will become a model for increased regulation over the quasi-governmental entities in the state at large. Metro districts are a type of stateauthorized locality established to create infrastructure within a private development. Through an elected board, metro districts have the authority to control homeowners’ property tax assessments, levy and collect taxes and fees and provide services and facilities in the district. There are 2,021 metro districts in the state, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs reports. An estimated 142 are in the City of Lakewood, according to state data. Lakewood and the Colorado state legislature have been working separately to institute clearer policies and greater transparency regulations following news reports that have increased scrutiny over metro districts. In some cases, the homebuilding companies that developed the metro district originally have been known to keep control of the elected board, raising conflict of
SEE SHOOTING, P4
SEE RULES, P2
Arvada Police Department PIO Dave Snelling shares additional information about the shooting during a 5:10 p.m. briefing on PHOTO BY RYAN DUNN June 21.
Arvada police give update on Olde Town shooting APD releases video and timeline of events BY RYAN DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A video released by the Arvada Police is offering details and a timeline of the shooting of an Arvada Police officer on June 21. Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley was shot by Ronald Troyke, 59, in Olde Town Square on June 21 before another responding APD officer shot civilian Johnny Hurley, 40, who had shot Troyke and was
Beesley
Hurley
holding Troyke’s AR-15 when authorities arrived on the scene, according to information released by the APD on June 25. Two investigations are ongoing; a criminal investigation into the death of Officer Beesley led by APD with assistance from state and federal agencies, and a Critical Incident Response Team investigation into the death of Johnny Hurley led by Jefferson County
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SPARKS WILL FLY
A regional look at July Fourth events
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