DENVER — Denver City Council is considering moving $18.8 million from the city’s general fund to pay for legal settlements, the second such transfer request this year.
Council Bill 26-1107 would move the funds into the City Attorney’s Liability Claims Fund. The city has paid out more than $21 million in settlements, most of it tied to police misconduct during the George Floyd protests in 2020 under then-Chief Paul Pazen. Additional funds cover lawsuits against the Denver Department of Transportation, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, and Denver Parks and Recreation.
Councilwoman Shontel Lewis, who represents District 8, says the current system pulls money from the general fund, impacting city services, without holding the responsible departments accountable…