This Monday, September 14 Denver City Council is voting on Denver’s police union collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The vote is happening without transparency, public input or the checks and balances of other municipal branches. This is important, as the current makeup of our city government and charter give the Mayor a great deal of unchecked power.

We need to flood city council inboxes and voicemails to demand a no vote on the CBA!

Talking Points

• City councilors will vote to approve this CBA without public input or transparency
  According to the city charter, “it is the obligation of the bargaining agent to serve written notice of request for bargaining on” the mayor and city council “or their representatives.”

• What that means: DPD is *supposed* to give notice about bargaining to the city council. City council isn’t usually involved in negotiations (what’s wrong with this picture??)

• Denver city workers are forced to take at least 8 furlough days in response to budget cuts. Police officers are exempt from furloughs.
  
  

• Negotiators can’t discuss the Denver Police Department’s budget, service standards, staffing levels, or how the department investigates, disciplines and trains its officers.
  

• Police aren’t labor!

• Police officers are granted an egregious amount of privilege and leeway that don’t apply to any other public servant, including fire departments. They’re exempt from all sorts of conditions, including budget cuts.
  
  

• Denver’s police spending has historically kept pace with the city’s growth, but not the violent crime rate. The city continues to spend more each year despite major drops in violent crime.

• Taxpayers foot the bill when police hurt our communities:

• Denver spent $14.5 million to settle lawsuits against police and sheriff in just 3 years

• A Brief History of Denver Police Shootings and How Much They Cost You

• Denver’s excessive force payouts twice as much as Baltimore’s

Contacts (Find your district)

District 1
Amanda Sandoval
720-337-7701
DistrictOne@denvergov.org

District 2
Kevin Flynn
720-337-2222
kevin.flynn@denvergov.org

District 3
Jamie Torres
720-337-3333
Jamie.Torres@denvergov.org

District 4
Kendra Black
720-337-4444
kendra.black@denvergov.org

District 5
Amanda Sawyer
720-337-5555
DenverCouncil5@denvergov.org

District 6
Paul Kashmann
720-337-6666
paul.kashmann@denvergov.org

District 7
Jolon Clark, President Pro-Tem
720-337-7777
jolon.clark@denvergov.org

District 8
Christopher Herndon
720-337-8888
Christopher.Herndon@denvergov.org

District 9
Candi CdeBaca
720-337-7709
district9@denvergov.org

District 10
Chris Hinds
720-337-7710
chris.hinds@denvergov.org

District 11
Stacie Gilmore
720-337-7711
stacie.gilmore@denvergov.org

At-Large
Robin Kniech
720-337-7712
kniechatlarge@denvergov.org

Debbie Ortega
720-337-7713
ortegaatlarge@denvergov.org

Sample Script

My name is _(Your Name)__ and I’m a/n _____(Occupation, Denver / District XX resident)____. I’m calling to urge you to vote NOT to approve the result of CBA negotiations between city officials and the Denver Police union. _____(One or two sentences about why this matters to you personally)_____. I’m asking Denver City Council to REDUCE our police budget and the immense amount of bargaining power and privilege that police have over citizens, city workers and the general public.

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