Latest news with #RonThomas
Axios
4 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Deadly crime in Denver near a record low
Denver's homicide rate has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, new data shows. Why it matters: The city's sharp descent mirrors a nationwide shift away from COVID-era crime spikes, with major cities like Los Angeles and New York reporting some of the steepest homicide declines on record — challenging the narrative that urban crime is spiraling. By the numbers: As of July 13, Denver's homicide rate was 2.7 per 100,000 people — the city's second-lowest midyear figure since 2004, per Denver Police Department data analyzed by Axios. State of play: Denver police Chief Ron Thomas tells Axios that a multi-pronged strategy is working: 👮♀️ Better staffing: DPD has largely overcome an officer shortage — now at 95% capacity (with about 1,550 officers) — enabling quicker response times and increased visibility. 🧠 Smart enforcement: Patrols in crime hotspots like Lower Downtown and East Colfax are paired with infrastructure fixes, like better lighting, to deter violence. ✅ High clearance rate: With an 83% solve rate for homicides, better evidence-gathering tools and stronger community trust — which has led to more tips and information-sharing — are getting results. ⛑️ Street medicine: Police have improved on-scene trauma care, like tourniquets and chest seals, to save lives before paramedics arrive. 🤝 Community partnerships: Organizations like Struggle of Love are stepping in before violence escalates — mediating conflicts and keeping at-risk youth engaged. 🗣️ Advocacy: Groups like East Students Demand Action have helped push for tougher gun laws at the state level. Yes, but: Not all of Denver's trends are encouraging. Youth violence remains stubbornly high, Thomas notes, and crime persists in nightlife corridors. Between the lines: One of the hardest things to change is public perception. Despite the drop in violent crime, Thomas says fear remains high. "We are working with the mayor's office to get to the root of those things that impact people's perceptions," Thomas says. That includes reducing open drug use, unsheltered homelessness and retail theft. What they're saying: "These numbers represent significant accomplishments by our police department, sheriff's office, and outreach teams in protecting the innocent and making Denver what we know it can be: the safest city in the country," Mayor Mike Johnston told Axios Denver in a statement.
CBS News
02-07-2025
- CBS News
Denver police shoot suspect after officers say he pulled a gun on them
Police in Denver shot a suspect in the Montbello neighborhood Tuesday night. Officers said the shooting happened about 9 p.m. in the 4300 block of Del Rio. Denver police shot a suspect in the 4300 block of Del Rio on Tuesday night. CBS According to Denver police, two officers were on patrol when they heard illegal fireworks going off. That's when they said they headed toward the sound and found a group of people shooting off fireworks in the street. The officers confronted the group and that's when police said one of them challenged officers and pulled a gun. "He then began to reach for his waistband... at which point he drew the firearm from his waistband while facing the officer. One officer did fire," said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. Denver police shot a suspect in Montbello after officers said he pulled a gun on them. CBS Thomas said the officer fired two rounds, striking the suspect. Police said he was taken to the hospital in serious condition. No officers were injured.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officers believe some protestors tried to make Molotov cocktails during anti-ICE protest
DENVER (KDVR) — Police say that 18 people were arrested during anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protests that started at the State Capitol Tuesday evening. Police records indicate that officers believed some of the protestors were trying to make Molotov cocktails. Police arrest records show people were arrested for, among other things, obstruction of a roadway, failure to obey a lawful order, graffiti and second-degree assault of an officer. Over a dozen arrested in Denver Tuesday during ICE protest; police use smoke, pepper balls The protest was mostly peaceful, according to Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. '(I'm) Disappointed, though, that there were agitators in the crowd that really wanted to try to taunt the police, create dangerous situations for the community,' Thomas said. Tensions grew as the crowd left the Capitol grounds and headed toward Broadway and Interstate 25. There was concern that the protestors would walk onto the interstate. 'Our first tactic was to use smoke as a deterrent and let them know that we are serious. We don't want to continue with the activity that you're engaged in right now. That was effective in getting a number of people to leave the area and stop their attempts to gain access to the highway,' Thomas said. The crowds in Colorado were protesting ICE raids taking place in Los Angeles and across the U.S. A spokesperson said they wanted to show their support for protestors in California. About 500 National Guard troops in LA are trained to accompany agents on immigration raids In one instance, arrest records show a protester scratched an officer, which led to an assault charge. 'They will be the cases that we'll see more attention from prosecutors and courts in terms of holding individuals responsible,' FOX31 Legal Analyst Christopher Decker said. However, Colorado 50501, which is planning the 'No Kings' events for Trump's birthday, said that it did not participate in planning the march on Tuesday night, but did promote the nonviolent march and peaceful protest, 'in support of immigration rights and demanding an end to the criminal executive overreach of the current administration.' The organization said that a group 'splintered' at the end of the peaceful event and proceeded to protest into the evening, which 50501 said was not represenative of the group's values. 'We wholeheartedly support everyone's right to protest,' the group wrote. 'This fundamental freedom is a pillar of democracy and a vital expression of invidual and collective voices.' The group said it will continue to commit to nonviolence, inclusivity and conflict resolution. DPD said pepper balls were also fired at the ground to create a deterrent and break up the crowds. FOX31 was told that many of the tactics that were used during the protest Tuesday night were implemented after the George Floyd protests in 2020. FOX31's Heather Willard contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Denver police say their policies around protest management have evolved: "Some tools we have just taken offline"
Denver police now say officers arrested 18 people during protests near downtown on Tuesday over immigration enforcement. Things started peacefully at the Colorado State Capitol. At one point, protesters attempted to walk onto Interstate 25, and it was then that the arrests occurred. CBS Organizers spoke out against ongoing immigration raids across the country and in support of protests in Los Angeles. With additional protests expected in the coming days, law enforcement officials are urging calm while promising to listen. They say policies around protest management have evolved -- since 2020 -- but they want to continue to work on rebuilding trust with the public. What began as a peaceful demonstration quickly escalated Tuesday night. Protesters marched through downtown, temporarily blocking traffic and clashing with police. Video from a protester who goes by the name ABizzy shows the moment law enforcement launched pepper balls into the crowd. "There's always the ones that want to be extreme, but for the most part, I think people's hearts are here in peace," ABizzy said. "The smoke that people saw was just that -- it has no irritant at all. And that's the first thing that we do after issuing a number of warnings," Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said. Denver police say they made several arrests, citing assault and disobedience to lawful orders. At one point, some demonstrators threw rocks at officers. One demonstrator even slashed a tire. But unlike the protests of 2020, the department says it is now more focused on de-escalation. "We're not indiscriminately using tear gas. ... Some tools we have just taken offline because they're not safe in those environments. I think we are much more tolerant of unplanned or unpermitted demonstrations," said Thomas. "A lot of the police here are kind of in an uncomfortable situation -- they're just responding to what they have to." Only a handful of protesters engaged in violent demonstrations. Community organizer Tim Hernández emphasized that the point of Tuesday's protest was to stand in solidarity with Los Angeles and reject the deployment of military law enforcement against immigrant communities. "I think the point of any protest is to be heard, and I think when folks are not heard by their leaders or policymakers, there are consequences to the way folks choose to handle that," said Hernández. Despite the tension, Denver's police chief says he understands why people want to exercise their First Amendment rights. "We don't think that what is going on in this country is right, and so we encourage people to protest -- and we will do all that we can to make sure it is safe," Thomas said. Raquel Lane-Arellano, communications manager from the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, shared a statement with CBS Colorado: "We organized this emergency protest to stand in solidarity with the people of Los Angeles and to reject the Trump administration's violent deployment of military and law enforcement against immigrant communities. This is about more than one city-this is about defending our families, our freedoms, and our future. When those in power spread lies about immigrants to justify fear and violence, we must rise together to protect the dignity and safety of all people. Colorado showed up because we believe in a country rooted in justice, not intimidation." On Saturday, June 14, the No Kings Rally in Denver will be part of a nationwide mass protest against President Donald Trump and his administration, with a handful of smaller protests planned across the state. Police say they are hoping for peaceful demonstrations but are prepared either way.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Naloxone vending machines added at 3 Denver police stations
DENVER (KDVR) — Vending machines with free naloxone kits are now located outside three Denver police stations. The following three locations were chosen based on reported overdose data compiled by The Naloxone Project. District 2 Station (3921 N. Holly St.) District 6 Station (1566 N. Washington St.) Police Administration Building (1331 Cherokee St.) 'Making arrests for for drug related charges, we're really more focused on the sellers and not the not the users,' Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said. 'So, we hope that that users feel comfortable coming here and getting these kits because, at the end of the day, we're all about public safety and harm reduction. I think is a huge part of public safety.' Free on Your TV • New FOX31+ App for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Dr. Don Stader, Executive Director at The Naloxone Project, addressed a common question: Is a move like this enabling drug users? 'If you do struggle with opioids and have an addiction or a dependency, using the Naloxone will make you feel terrible, so in many ways, Naloxone is not a drug that enables drug use,' Dr. Stader said. 'Naloxone enables one thing and one thing only. Naloxone enables survival. It enables a second chance of that person who is struggling to look for recovery, or even if they continue to use drugs, can continue to live.' The vending machines hold up to 75 naloxone kits. The Naloxone Project says they have enough of the kits to make sure everyone who needs a second chance has one. The organization will restock the machines as needed. 'To date, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has secured more than $860 million to the state of Colorado for key efforts such as youth prevention, treatment in underserved areas to rebuild communities and families,' Jamie Feld, Director of Opioid Response for the Colorado Attorney General's Office said, referring to opioid settlement funds. 'We know that it's important that we continue this charge. There's been a 35% decrease in fentanyl overdose deaths since November 2023, and it's because Naloxone has been a key strategy in getting these to the hands of those who need it most.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
