Denver deploys mounted police to boost downtown security
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Members of the Denver Police Department's bike squad visit with members of the department's mounted horseback patrol in 2023. Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Police on horseback will soon start patrolling downtown Denver as part of a sweeping new safety plan Mayor Mike Johnston unveiled Wednesday.
Why it matters: It's Johnston's latest move of many to tamp down crime, up foot traffic and improve the perception of safety in the city's central corridor, which has yet to bounce back from the pandemic.
The big picture: The plan includes 10 additional officers dedicated to downtown and 10 extra patrol shifts per day for the next year. They'll patrol on foot, bikes, motorcycles — and horses.
- A new permanent police kiosk near 16th and Arapahoe will offer a central hub for reporting issues or asking for help.
- Five private security contractors from the Downtown Denver Partnership will also monitor the area, as will some park rangers.
- Bike paramedics from Denver Health, medical units from Denver Fire and mental health outreach teams will be stationed nearby.
Driving the news: The initiative comes in the wake of January's deadly stabbing spree on the 16th Street Mall — part of what Chief Ron Thomas described as a brief but "significant" spike in violent crime this year after rates fell in 2024.
- Rates have dropped again, but "we need to do a better job making sure perception [of public safety] matches reality," Thomas said at the mayor's news briefing Wednesday.
Between the lines: Denver is steadily moving away from the "defund the police" rhetoric that echoed through City Hall in 2020.
- Johnston's plan — featuring more boots (and hooves) on the ground — signals a renewed embrace of visible traditional policing to address public safety concerns downtown.
By the numbers: The Downtown Development Authority will spend about $4 million over the next year to fund overtime shifts for police.
- The city's Department of Safety and DPD will fund the additional officers dedicated to downtown.
Zoom out: The city's broader downtown comeback strategy also includes $570 million in economic investments and the upcoming completion of 16th Street Mall construction.
What they're saying: "We're unapologetic about the belief that downtown is the economic and cultural center of the city," Johnston said. "For the city to do well, downtown needs to do well."
What's next: Johnston is calling on residents to return. "We're committed to doing our part," he said. Now it's up to Denverites to "share in doing your part" too.
What we're watching: Whether this latest infusion of police — plus new events, investments like converting underused office space into housing, and public space upgrades — will be enough to finally turn the corner for downtown.