Why I voted to indemnify police (continued)

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was completed in less than two weeks. Hastily passed laws based on emotion does not deliver good public policy. Therefore, it was incumbent upon our Council to do what is right for Greenwood Village.

The evidence for this argument is irrefutable. In major cities across the country where local elected officials are calling to defund the police or reduce their size, violent crime has risen significantly. In cities such as New York, Chicago, Minneapolis and Los Angeles, criminals are emboldened by what they see as weakened police forces. Some of these cities have experienced the highest levels of violent crime in their history in just the past few weeks.

National surveys confirm that most people want a strong and ethical police force in their communities. Law-abiding citizens are appalled by what they are experiencing in their neighborhoods and fear for their families as their communities have become a more dangerous place to live and work. In many of those cities, most notably the Seattle Chop zone, these policies have already created a semi-lawless society that has resulted in mob rule, violence, and murders.

The media and others have mischaracterized one of my statements when I said that we are different in Greenwood Village. The purpose of that statement was then and still is now that the recent vote by our City Council conveys the message that we support our police officers as they fulfill their duties responsibly. We have no intention of defunding our police and we will support the rule of law. We passed this resolution to retain our police officers so that the significant rise in violent crime being experienced in other cities does not happen in Greenwood Village.

If someone is breaking into your home in the middle of the night, would you rather call a police officer or a social worker? While this may sound like a silly question, it may become reality in cities that are calling to defund the police. The Minneapolis City Council has recently said that they will defund the police and move those monies and resources to more social workers. Several other major cities are talking about doing the same thing. I do not want that to happen in Greenwood Village and that is why we are different.

Police officers risk their lives to protect our neighborhoods and businesses. They run towards danger when everyone else is running away, they often have bullets flying at them when trying to save others and they must make split-second life and death decisions on a regular basis. Many officers are just not willing to accept a personal financial risk on top of the life-threatening situations which is why communities are in jeopardy of losing so many good police officers.

I find it ironic and even hypocritical that the state legislature stripped away financial immunity for police officers but kept it for themselves in their government capacity. Most business and government leaders and employees have some type of financial immunity through D&O insurance (business) and government purchased insurance which includes coverage for the President, Congress, the Governor, state legislatures and staff, municipal officers and staff, Mayors, City Councilmembers and many more. The fact is that it would be difficult if not impossible to find good people to serve in many business and government capacities if they were not provided financial immunity.

Kyle Clark, a 9 News TV anchor recently made a statement that people should not live, work, shop or drive through Greenwood Village for fear of being mistreated by the police. That statement was not only irresponsible, but it was just patently the complete opposite of the truth. The evidence speaks for itself. Violent crime is on a steep rise in those cities where leaders are not supporting their police. Greenwood Village has and will continue to be one of the safest places in the state to live and work.

I believe that history will prove that our City Council is on the right side of this issue and I was pleased to vote in favor of the resolution that supports our police officers.