Law and government of Denver
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The Law and Government of Denver, Colorado make up the political and legal infrastructure of the City and County of Denver, Colorado.
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History of Denver government [edit]
Denver was founded in 1858 and incorporated in 1861. The city was chosen as the permanent state capital of Colorado by a special election in 1881.
Early political fame [edit]
In hosting the 1908 Democratic National Convention, Denver gained a spotlight in what was at the time an east coast-dominated national politics. Industrialists now moving west with innovation and big business were witness to Denver's political value, and more importantly, venue. Conquering the west is considered to be no easy challenge politically, and still an important asset. In the later part of the 20th century, winning the west was seen as crucial to a win abroad, making Denver the "center stage" in the political arena.
Mile-high government [edit]
Denver is a consolidated city-county with a non-partisan elected mayor (though they may belong to a particular political party), a 13-member city council, an auditor, and a clerk and recorder. The Denver City Council is elected from 11 districts with two at-large council-members and is responsible for passing and changing all laws, resolutions, and ordinances, usually after a public hearing. They can also call for misconduct investigations of Denver's departmental officials.
Denver has a strong mayor/weak city council government. The mayor can approve or veto any ordinances or resolutions approved by the council, make sure all contracts with the city are kept and performed, sign all bonds and contracts, is responsible for the city budget, and can appoint people to various city departments, organizations, and commissions. However, the council can override the mayor's veto with a nine out of 13 member vote, and the city budget must be approved and can be changed by a simple majority vote of the council. The auditor checks all expenditures and may refuse to allow specific ones, usually based on financial reasons.[1]
All city-wide elected officials have four year terms, with a maximum of two terms. While Denver elections are non-partisan, Democrats have long held a virtual monopoly on Denver politics with all city-wide elected officials having Democratic Party affiliation. The office of Denver's Mayor has been occupied by a Democrat since the municipal general election of 1963, including the current mayor Michael Hancock.
In federal elections, Denverites also tend to vote for Democratic candidates. Denver is represented at the federal level by congresswoman Diana DeGette, a Democrat representing Colorado's 1st congressional district, which includes all of Denver and parts of Arapahoe County.
Notable political action and events [edit]
In recent years, Denver increased its help for homeless people. The city has gained a great reputation from the works of Mayor John Hickenlooper, and Mayor Wellington Webb particularly. Denver's population of homeless residents is considerably lower than many other major cities,[citation needed] but many residents of the city streets have suffered during Denver's winters. Although mild and dry much of the time, Denver's winters can have brief periods of cold temperatures and varying amounts of snow. As a result, the city has set a national precedent on homeless services, with the creations of a ten-year plan to end homelessness (a plan now becoming popular in other cities as well),[citation needed] a task force and commission to end homelessness, and an expansion on human and civil services through the Denver area.
In 2005, Denver became the first major city in the U.S. to legalize the possession by adults (at least the age of twenty-one) of less than an ounce of marijuana. The city voted 53.49%–46.51% in favor of the marijuana legalization measure. This initiative does not usurp state law, which currently treats marijuana possession in much the same way as a speeding ticket, with fines of up to $100 and no jail time.[2]
In 2007, Denver once again voted in favor of marijuana policy reform, overwhelmingly approving a measure that designates private adult marijuana possession the city's "lowest law enforcement priority." Voters approved the measure 57–43, creating a new city ordinance and a city panel to ensure the ordinance is being implemented "to the greatest extent possible." Mayor John Hickenlooper is charged with creating the 11-member "Marijuana Policy Review Panel," and it will begin meeting quarterly in 2008.
Denver hosted the 2008 Democratic National Convention, which coincided with the centennial of the city's 1908 hosting of the convention. The 2008 Libertarian National Convention was also hosted in Denver, which is also the site of the original Libertarian Party Convention, which was held in 1972.[3] It also hosted the G7 (now G8) summit between June 20 and June 22 in 1997.
Department of Safety [edit]
The Denver Department of Safety oversees three branches: Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, and the Denver Sheriff Department.
Police Department [edit]
As of 2009, the Denver Police Department had 1500 police officers.[4] The department is headed by Police Chief Robert C. White, who was appointed in 2011.
The Police Department began in December 1859, with the election of the first city marshal. The force gained its first African-American police officer in 1880, and its first female police "matron" in 1888.[5]
Fire Department [edit]
The city of Denver is protected 24/7, 365 by the paid, full-time firefighters of the city of Denver Fire Department(DFD). The Denver Fire Department currently is organized into 6 Division of Operations, each under the Command of a Division Chief: Operations Division; Fire Prevention and Investigation Division; Technical Services Division; Administrative Division; Safety and Training Division; Airport Division.[6]
The DFD currently operates out of 34 Fire Stations(including 4 Airport Stations) in 6 Districts, each under the command of an Assistant Chief, located throughout the city. The Denver Fire Department also operates a fire apparatus fleet of 28 Engines, 14 Trucks, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Hammer Team(Technical Rescue) Unit, 1 Haz-Mat. Unit, 1 Collapse Unit, 1 Water Rescue Unit, and numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The current Chief of Department is Eric Tade.[6]
Below is a full listing of all Fire Stations and their locations in the city of Denver by District.[7]
District 2 [edit]
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 1 | Tower 1 | Haz-Mat. Unit, Collapse Unit, Water Rescue Unit | District 2 | 745 W. Colfax Ave. |
| Engine 3 | 2500 N. Washington St. | |||
| Tower 4 | 1890 Lawrence St. | |||
| Engine 6 | Hammer Team 1 | 1300 Blake St. | ||
| Engine 11 | Rescue 1 | 40 W. 2nd Ave. |
District 3 [edit]
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 5 | 999 S. Clermont | |||
| Engine 13 | 3673 S. Yosemite St. | |||
| Engine 16 | Truck 16 | District 3 | 1601 S. Ogden St. | |
| Engine 21 | 1500 E. Virginia Ave. | |||
| Engine 22 | Tower 22 | 3530 S. Monaco Pkwy. | ||
| Engine 24 | 2695 S. Colorado Blvd. |
District 4 [edit]
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 8 | Truck 8 | 1616 Park Ave. W. | ||
| Squrt 10 | 3200 N. Steele St. | |||
| Engine 14 | 1426 N. Oneida St. | |||
| Engine 15 | Truck 15 | District 4 | 1375 N. Harrison St. | |
| Engine 19 | Truck 19 | 300 S. Ivy St. | ||
| Engine 26 | Truck 26 | 7934 E. Martin Luther King Blvd. |
District 5 [edit]
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tower 2 | District 5 | 5300 Memphis St. | ||
| Engine 27 | Tower 27 | 12927 E. Albrook Dr. | ||
| Engine 29 | 4800 N. Himalaya St. |
District 6 [edit]
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 7 | 2195 W. 38 Ave. | |||
| Engine 9 | Tower 9 | 4400 Brighton Blvd. | ||
| Engine 12 | Truck 12 | District 6 | 2575 N. Federal Blvd. | |
| Engine 17 | 4500 N. Tennyson St. | |||
| Engine 20 | 501 N. Knox Ct. |
District 7 [edit]
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 23 | Truck 23 | 850 S. Federal Blvd. | ||
| Engine 25 | 2504 S. Raleigh St. | |||
| Engine 28 | Tower 28 | District 7 | 4306 S. Wolff St. | |
| Engine 30 | 4898 S. Dudley St. | |||
| Engine 36 | 4101 S. Federal Blvd. |
District 8 [edit]
| Fire Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Fire Station # 31 | Denver International Airport |
| Fire Station # 32 | Denver International Airport |
| Fire Station # 33 | Denver International Airport |
| Fire Station # 34 | Denver International Airport |
Notable Denver mayors [edit]
- Charles A. Cook (Nonpartisan), 1861–63
- John Long Routt (Republican), 1883–85
- Robert W. Speer (Democrat), 1904–12, 1916–18
- Benjamin F. Stapleton (Democrat), 1923–31, 1935–47
- Federico Peña (Democrat), 1983–91
- Wellington Webb (Democrat), 1991–2003
- John Hickenlooper (Democrat), 2003-2011
State representation [edit]
The Colorado Department of Corrections operates the Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center and the Denver Women's Correctional Facility in Denver.[8][9]
References [edit]
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ O'Driscoll, Patrick (2005-11-03). "Denver votes to legalize marijuana possession". USA Today. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ^ Libertarian National Convention#1972
- ^ Denver Police Department, 2009 Annual Report, PDF file.
- ^ Denver Police Department, 2009 Annual Report, PDF file.
- ^ a b "Denver Fire Department". Denver.org. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- ^ "Denver Fire Department: About Us". Denver.org. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- ^ "Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center." Colorado Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 15, 2010. "10900 Smith Road Denver, CO, 80239"
- ^ "Denver Women's Correctional Facility." Colorado Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 15, 2010. "3600 Havana Denver, CO, 80239."
