DENVER – Three new Denver police officers were fired last month after authorities discovered they had joked about “going to newcomer shelters for target practice” in a group chat with other officers, police said Thursday. -fair.
The messages were shared on March 27, 2024, when Denver was still operating shelters to house migrants from Venezuela and other countries who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, which the city referred to as new arrivals. An influx of migrants since 2023 has strained the city’s resources, and the city has began offering primarily short-term rental assistance instead, with support services.
“The Denver Police Department is appalled by the subject matter of the messages, which are contradictory to the Department’s mission and values, and disrespect not only newcomers and our community, but also all other officers who work to maintain everyone in our community safe,” the department said in a statement.
The department said it became aware of the messages on April 4, and the three officers were fired on July 22 after an “extensive investigation.” The officers had recently graduated from the police academy and were still on probation when they were fired, he said. .
The messages were made in a group chat with classmates from the officers’ police academy class. Chat members will receive additional training on equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as more training on how to intervene to stop misconduct by a fellow officer, the department said.
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