Salvation Army under fire for safety concerns at Denver homeless shelters

Driving the news: Last month, Salvation Army employee Billy Johnson, 43, was charged with sexually assaulting a woman staying at a shelter converted from a former DoubleTree hotel.

• Court records obtained by Axios Denver show Johnson has an extensive criminal history, including charges of robbery in 2010 and kidnapping in 2015.
• But, according to Salvation Army spokesperson Jennifer Forker, he passed a background check — a result, she said, of a Colorado law that bars screening agencies from reporting crimes older than seven years.

Zoom out: Johnson's March arrest is the latest in a string of alarming incidents related to Salvation Army-run shelters. A double homicide occurred at the former DoubleTree hotel location near Central Park last year.

• A third person was shot just 11 days after the double homicide.

State of play: Citing safety concerns, Denver City Council last month took the unusual step of rejecting a Johnston-backed $3 million contract with the Salvation Army for the rapid rehousing of families.

• It's unclear if the mayor will revive the rejected contract. "We are actively working with [City] Council to address concerns and with the Salvation Army," his spokesperson Jon Ewing told Axios Denver in a statement.

The other side: Forker defended the Salvation Army in an interview with Axios Denver, calling the organization a "good partner." She said it is not currently planning to revise its screening or safety protocols.

The big picture: Johnston's administration is under pressure to deliver on its ambitious promise to house thousands of people experiencing homelessness.

• A city audit last year found the rushed rollout of new shelters led to poor safety protocols and little financial oversight.

What's next: Housekeys Action Network Denver, a local advocacy group, is protesting Tuesday to demand the city sever all Salvation Army contracts.

• "The stories of incidents and horrible conditions … go on and on," the group said in a statement.