Denver Creative Industries Alliance's Statement on Black Lives Matter Protests and Police Brutality.

To Whom It May Concern,

The way our justice system operates in the United States of America is effectively broken. A system lacking transparency, accountability and justice has eroded the faith of the American public in our institutions of law and order, in particular, our nation’s police. Far too often, people of color are unjustifiably subjected to the use of excessive force, intimidation and racial profiling among other detrimental methods resulting in trauma, injury and even death for African Americans and other people of color. In light of the recent murder of George Floyd, this behavior decidedly, will not be tolerated any more. The public has spoken, taking to the streets over the past week in protest of the status quo, to send the message that we will not move forward as a country without addressing these concerns and committing to reform our police practices.

Denver’s Creative Industries Alliance, is a composite of professionals from the music, entertainment, food & beverage and media industries among others, collectively coming together to demand action. Below is a list of demands and recommendations we desire to see enacted to remedy the ongoing situation and to propel us beyond it as a society invested in the wellbeing of all of its citizens.

The undersigned do hereby request:

1.) We want the police to kneel and take up the march alongside protestors, as a visual demonstration of  understanding and commitment to reforming their operations and procedures.

2.) Immediately release any and all protesters in jail, drop all charges and forgive any fines related to the arrest.

3.) Investigate the police departments for excessive use of force in all cases, especially those related to the protests and commit to transparent investigations of excessive force in all cases moving forward.

4.) The creation of a fully-funded position for an independent monitor chosen without implicit bias with monthly progress reports on the creation and execution of this position. They should be appointed by an independent body like the Citizen Oversight Board and have a budget (along with public defender) that is more proportionate to the Department of Safety or at least DPD and Sheriff's slice of Safety.


5.) 
Police should show up to protests to offer assistance to the people, not in SWAT gear with threats of the National Guard, riot gear in tow.

6.) We demand racial sensitivity training and a sworn oath to “do no harm” with a bias evaluation as the foundation of officers who apply and existing officers. In addition we call for the Immediate termination against officers involved in a racially motivated/suspected incident.

7.) We recommend all officers be regulated under a system similar to DORA that allows for the filing of complaints, education and up to date training requirements that include cultural sensitivity training.

8.) We call for an immediate emergency meeting of the City Oversight Board. June 19th is too far away for the changes we’re going through as residents of this city.

9.) We call for a ban on the use of knee holds and choke holds as an acceptable use of force by police officers. Though the use of force policy was updated to address knee and choke holds, this same rule should apply to mass demonstrations. Related, the police union should be responsible for all litigation and settlement costs for cases of excessive force NOT the taxpayers via the city.

10.) The implementation of the NAACP’s “Open Records Act” suggestion that ensures misconduct and disciplinary histories are not shielded from the public. Recertification credentials may be denied for police officers if determined that their use of deadly force was unwarranted by federal guidelines. We demand full transparency for all officer-involved violence against protesters and residents of Colorado.

In Solidarity,

Denver Creative Industries Alliance

Kori Hazel
Ru Johnson, Roux Black
Montyy Taj, Comfortably Excluded
Alexandra Calahan, FOX & NUG
Sean Calahan, FOX & NUG
Em Geeves, Em Possible
Leah Concialdi, ATOMGA
Crystal Lee, CRLEE
Yoni Gottlieb AKA Yugs
Emily Chaney, hello303.com 
Amy Koziel
Melissa Boyle
Josh Haggit
Antares Davinci
Mona Magno, FreeMusicForFreePeople
Sean Kenyon, Williams & Graham + Occidental
Jeremy Pape, Collective Culture
Leonard Johnson, Life is Dope
Rachel Leonard
John Cameron
Mike Knopping, Party Guru Productions
Lauren Kashuk, Ideasion