The Issues
John understands that the job of the Denver DA is to bring justice to the community by protecting everyone in our city and by working tirelessly to earn the trust of the community by improving our criminal justice system.
He understands that Denver today faces serious public safety challenges. Violent crime – and gun crime– remains higher than five and ten years ago, property crime and car theft remains at near record levels and disproportionately impacts our working families, and the fentanyl drug epidemic traps too many people caught up in addiction and living on the streets.
And he is committed to working to make our criminal justice system more fair, and more just for everyone and ensure the District Attorney’s office has the resources to provide efficient and effective prosecution and to protect the entire community.
John’s plan addresses each of these key issues:
Fight violent crime by establishing a special violent crime task force to work with law enforcement and community organizations with a twin strategy: a targeted enforcement strategy, combined with expanded community youth development and youth violence prevention programs.
Address the fentanyl epidemic by enhancing and expanding drug court and probation programs with a focus on getting people the substance abuse and mental health treatment programs they need, combined with targeted enforcement aimed at higher-level drug dealers.
Dramatically reduce car theft and catalytic converter theft by establishing a motor vehicle theft task force to work hand-in-hand with the city to target organized crime car theft rings, combined with broad-based, community prevention efforts.
Ensure that the victims of crime – and especially domestic violence and sexual violence survivors – are heard, supported and protected by the DA’s office and our criminal justice system.
Build the trust of the community in law enforcement by working with the community to enhance criminal justice reform programs like restorative justice, diversion programs and transparency, and putting a focus on police training, policy and accountability.
Our city is growing, and with it comes an increase in community safety issues. These include the rise in gun violence and incidents in our schools, rampant car thefts that disproportionately impact our working families, and too many people facing addiction or homelessness. More than ever, we need a District Attorney committed to working with city officials, law enforcement, and our community to address these issues head-on and put safety first, and who will work with all our communities to prevent crime by addressing the root causes of crime.
We need swift, fair, and certain consequences for violent crime, especially those involving a gun. And we need creative problem-solving that builds trust and stops crime before it starts. I plan to take on crime WITH the community. We’ll do this by targeting the small number of people who commit most of the crimes, as well as using evidence-based innovation and SMARTER policing, not OVER-policing.
Gun Violence Response
I have witnessed the impacts of gun violence in our state on the front lines, present at the scenes of two of Colorado's most devastating mass shootings: the Aurora movie theater tragedy and the Planned Parenthood incident. These experiences have galvanized my commitment to gun reform.
Police Accountability
Effective law enforcement relies on the trust of people. Throughout my career, I've been directly involved in police accountability, partnering with law enforcement agencies, playing pivotal roles in Denver’s Public Safety Review Commission and Police Accountability Boards, and diving deep into ensuring our policing practices are effective, just and in-line with constitutional principles.
Youth Violence Prevention
Denver faces a growing youth violence issue, both within our schools and our communities. As a father of three children who attended and graduated from Denver’s East High School, this issue isn't just another talking point for me — it's personal. I am committed to collaborating proactively with DPS, other schools, and the broader community.
Fight Against Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
Too many people in Denver are caught in a cycle of addiction, and there are too many people living on the streets. Fentanyl, methamphetamine and other synthetic opioids are causing an unprecedented crisis in our community, contributing to our unhoused population. These deadly substances have led to countless tragedies, with too many people trapped in the relentless cycle of addiction. My primary objective is to aggressively combat the distributors and manufacturers of these lethal drugs.
A Dedicated Partnership Against Car & Catalytic Converter Theft
Car thefts affect us all, but they particularly strain our working families, who rely on their vehicles daily. As Denver District Attorney, I plan to prioritize this matter, ensuring our streets are safer and our families are protected.
Fighting Hate Crime
The United States is facing a steep and concerning increase in hate crime incidents and John is committed to fighting hate crime in all its forms. He has always focused on lifting up – and protecting -- our entire community.
Supporting Victims
A key part of ensuring community safety as the Denver District Attorney means working to give a voice to victims of crimes in Denver. John strongly supports the Family Violence Unit and the County Court Unit in serving sex assault victims and victims of domestic violence.