Law enforcement watchdog will take backseat in LoDo indictment
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Denver's new independent monitor won't review the July 2022 LoDo police shooting incident that led to a police officer's indictment — at least for now.
Why it matters: It could be months, if not years, before the monitor completes a formal review of the shooting incident that injured six bystanders when Denver officers opened fire on a man with a firearm.
- Meaning, the public won't get a better sense about how to prevent a similar incident for any time soon.
Details: The watchdog's role is to "monitor investigations into complaints, officer-involved shootings, and in-custody deaths involving DPD and DSD sworn personnel." But the office can't review the incident until after the criminal proceedings conclude, Citizen Oversight Board administrator Daniel Van Schooten told Axios Denver.
- At that point, the monitor will review administrative complaints and internal police affairs investigations related to the incident.
Reality check: The monitor is allowed to observe interviews and offer questions to the Denver Police Department’s major crimes unit at this stage.
- But the office is not directly involved in the criminal investigation and does not have access to investigative files, according to an officer-involved shooting internal policy reviewed by Axios Denver.
What they're saying: "Once the administrative investigation begins in this matter, the OIM will be actively involved in monitoring, reviewing and making recommendations," newly appointed independent monitor Lisabeth Pérez Castle said in a statement to Axios Denver.