Debbie Ortega: A Candidate is Committed to Denver's Public Safety

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn, crime in and around the City of Denver has become a source of major concern among the residents of Denver. The people of Denver need a mayor who is committed to making Denver a safe place for residents and visitors, while working to support people in need and eradicate inequities in the justice system. Over her decades-long career in Denver’s local government, Councilwoman At-Large Debbie Ortega has worked to improve public safety and to build a more positive relationship between law enforcement and communities.

Councilwoman Ortega maintains positive working relationships with the various law enforcement and public safety related departments in Denver; she has been endorsed by Denver Sheriff Lodge 27 of the Fraternal Order of Police, Denver Firefighters Local 858, and the Colorado Professional Firefighters. She also has a proven track record of working in collaboration with law enforcement through her position on the Crime Prevention and Control Commission. As a member of this commission, she has advocated for increasing implicit bias training and additional measures to reduce racial, socioeconomic and gender disparities in the law enforcement community. Additionally, she co-sponsored the ordinance that created the Public Safety Review Commission, which focuses on police and sheriff accountability in the wake of allegations of misconduct.

Furthermore, Councilwoman Ortega has endeavored to improve the relationships between law enforcement and immigrant communities by supporting the Public Safety Enforcement Priorities Act, which works to ensure that members of our immigrant communities can interact and cooperate with law enforcement and public safety agencies without fear of negative repercussions. She was also a vocal supporter of the executive order issued by Mayor Hancock that created Denver’s Immigrant Legal Defense Fund, which helps to provide immigrants with legal representation and access to due process.

Councilwoman Ortega has also taken steps to reduce gun violence, particularly in schools. Debbie Ortega has supported gun buy-back programs that reduce the number of guns in circulation, and she helped to create the City-School Coordinating Committee, a committee that brings the executive leadership of both the city and Denver public schools to address urgent school safety issues, such as increasing gun violence.

As the Mayor of Denver, Debbie Ortega intends to set up a Metro Task Force to address the supply of lethal drugs entering the city and to combat the increase in car, bike, and catalytic converter crimes in the Denver area.

Councilwoman Debbie Ortega is the candidate the people of Denver need to ensure that all Denverites feel safe in their communities. She deserves your vote in the upcoming election.