Candi CdeBaca, a Denver councilwoman, has filed a bill that would replace the police department with a peace task force. The peace force would focus on crime and violence prevention without using force. If approved, the bill will allow voters to vote on the matter in November. Vetoing the bill will not be possible, which allows for the public to be the ones deciding on the matter.
This comes during a time when people are especially tuned in to the serious issue of police brutality. Amidst the continuing Black Lives Matter protests, the outcry to defund the police and allow for the funding to tackle the root of the problem. The bill states that some elements of the crime are “job insecurity, transience, homelessness, food insecurity.”
The Department of Peacekeeping Services will work on prevention rather than just reacting to a situation. Creating rules for the peacekeeping group will largely include input from those who are effected the most. In short, it will reflect the needs and desires of people being “disproportionately impacted by the law.” The department will also take calls, staff the team, and assess outreach for specific situations.
The funding currently being given to the police department will be absorbed by the peacekeeping service. Immunity for actions that have resulted or could have resulted in harm to a person is nonexistent unless there is evidence that justified the act.
People on the force will not be armed. Arming a member of the force will only be a last resort or approved by a triage system. The majority of the peacekeeping team will not have the power to make arrests. The hiring process will take into account the “ color, race, sex, religion, or national origin,” as to accurately represent the community. The director of the peacekeeping core will be appointed by City Council and be a member of the mayor’s cabinet. This person will be required to not have experience in law enforcement but will need experience in other services such as restorative justice or public health.
The possible department will uphold the idea that “every person shall be treated equally, with respect, and with dignity; the preservation of life shall be the agency’s highest priority,” states CdeBaca’s bill.
