As we approach Denver Pride, let’s get some fast facts out there. Your safety and comfort matter to us, and we want you to be informed and aware of our decision-making processes around aspects of the Pride festival weekend.
Starting with the basics, yes, there will be a police presence. That’s not something we decide lightly. Denver Parks & Recreation requires uniformed officers at events serving alcohol or needing traffic control. Our permits for the event depend on it. Before I joined The Center on Colfax as the CEO, I was a community member — one who has been in conversation for years with fellow community members about the police presence at Denver Pride. I had the commonly held belief that The Center decided on police presence, and that is simply not true. The Center dedicates a significant portion of our Denver Pride budget to hiring non-police security in an effort to keep our community members safe, while also meeting the minimum requirement for police presence. There is no denying that this is a deeply complex and sensitive issue — especially for those in our community who have had painful and dangerous experiences with law enforcement.
This is a nuanced conversation, and together – The Center, Denver Parks & Recreation and our community – we must understand and acknowledge the power dynamics at play and work together to get where we want to go. It’s always worth remembering that some of our LGBTQ+ community members are officers. They, too, deserve the opportunity to participate in Pride, and they will show up with the same care and accountability we expect from any and all community members…