Two Denver councilmembers are proposing allowing noncitizens to work as police and firefighters in Denver.
Details: Council President Jamie Torres and member Amanda Sandoval proposed Monday striking language from the city charter preventing the city’s police and fire departments from hiring noncitizens.
- It would allow people with work-authorization to be employed by the two agencies.
- Noncitizens, who can include legal permanent residents and DACA recipients, are currently eligible to work in nearly all other departments, Torres tells us.
The intrigue: The citizen requirement is unique to those agencies due to language in the city’s law specifying applicants must be U.S. citizens.
Zoom in: Supporters say the changes would improve both agency’s diversity, the police department’s community policing efforts, recruitment and retention, and reduce discrimination.
Of note: Fire chief Desmond Fulton and police chief Ron Thomas provided letters in favor of the proposal.
- City law prevents Denver police from hiring DACA recipients despite state a law passed last year allowing them to work as armed officers , Thomas writes.
- A spokesperson for the union representing Denver firefighters, Local 858, declined to comment but said the union is working to get more information.
- The union representing Denver officers, the Denver Police Protective Association, did not respond to a request for comment.