GV Council resolves to bypass part of the police reform law

The Greenwood Village City Council resolves in all cases to defend any police officer in any suit or proceeding brought under SB 20-217 and pay or indemnify its police officers against all expenses… – GV Resolution

A theme oft-repeated by teens was that they knew the importance of taking responsibility for their mistakes, so why shouldn’t police?

By Freda Miklin -- Governmental Reporter

Residents of Greenwood Village and the surrounding area gathered outside GV City Hall on July 9 for a peaceful protest against a resolution the city council adopted earlier in the week to protect its police officers from the possibility of “incurring a financial penalty decided by a city council potentially influenced by media and passions of the day” in the future. Joining the protest were people who came to express their desire for justice in the death of 23-year-old Aurora resident Elijah McClain while in the custody of City of Aurora police officers last summer.

On July 8, Channel 9 News’ Kyle Clark reported that, “Greenwood Village’s city council has voted unanimously to undermine a new state law meant to hold police officers accountable.” Denver Post coverage of the story culminated in the page one headline in the Post on July 10, “Greenwood Village faces backlash for police stand.”

The recently passed statewide police reform law says, in Section 13-21-13(4) “ A peace officer’s employer shall indemnify its peace officers for any liability incurred by the peace officer and for any judgment or settlement entered against the peace officer for claims arising pursuant to this section; except that, if the peace officer’s employer determines that the officer did not act upon good faith and reasonable belief that the action (taken by the officer) was lawful, then the peace officer is personally liable and shall not be indemnified by the peace officer’s employer for five percent of the judgment or settlement or $25,000, whichever is less.” The GV resolution says, “The Greenwood Village City Council resolves in all cases to defend any police officer in any suit or proceeding brought under SB 20-217 and payor indemnify its police officers against all expenses, court costs, including expert fees, court fees, attorney fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement or satisfaction of judgment actually incurred by them in connection with such action, suit or proceeding.”

Proposed by GV Mayor Pro Tem Dave Kerber, the resolution drew the enthusiastic support of his fellow council members, including Dave Bullock, who told Channel 9 News, “It goes well beyond supporting our officers. It sends a message to the community, the state, the country that we have a very different attitude towards law enforcement and the rule of law in Greenwood Village.” Bullock said that he has seen protests in cities where he feels police departments are not supported and “that will not happen” in Greenwood Village. Council Member Libby Barnacle, a former prosecutor, in registering her yes vote for the resolution said, “I would just like to make a record that I am 1,000 percent behind this and (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)