Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA

Denver, CO — Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA, has revisited the Denver Police Department’s (DPD) recruitment and retention practices, following up on an initial audit conducted in 2023. The recent evaluation reveals a mixture of progress and shortfalls, with the department fully implementing some recommendations while others remain unaddressed.

Original Audit Findings

The initial audit aimed to assess the DPD’s effectiveness in using data to evaluate its resources and ensure efficient operations. It identified critical gaps in strategic policies, recruitment practices, and retention strategies. The original audit included 16 recommendations, all of which the Denver Police Department agreed to implement.

Key Findings from the Original Audit

1. Lack of Comprehensive Strategic Policies and Guidance which presented as the absence of a formal strategic plan, no community policing plan, incomplete recruiting program and outdated staffing model.

1. Inadequate Strategies to Address Low Retention which meant a lack of diversity among officers and an increased stress and low morale due to staffing shortages.

1. Need for Improved Physical and Mental Health Services due to insufficient access to in-house physical therapy and mental health services.

1. Inconsistent application of time codes for officers working over 64 hours a week.

Follow-Up Audit: Progress and Shortfalls

In the follow-up audit, Auditor O’Brien found that the DPD had made notable strides but still fell short in several areas. Of the 16 recommendations, five were fully implemented, four were partially implemented, and seven were not implemented.

Fully Implemented Recommendations

Diversity Goals:

The DPD developed a standalone “Racial Equity Action Plan.” A committee meets bi-weekly to strategize on achieving diversity goals. In 2024, 16.11% of applicants identified as Black or African American, exceeding Denver’s 2023 population of 8.9%. According to Auditor O’Brien, “Progress has been made to keep officers in Denver. It’s good to see the department move toward better diversity practices, but there’s more work to be done.”

Community Policing Survey:

The DPD conducted a survey in late 2023 with 6,341 responses, leading to the creation of a program where local businesses can request officer visits to discuss crime prevention and safety.  On this, Auditor O’Brien noted, “Receiving public comments and then responding with a new program where officers meet face-to-face with the people they serve is significant for building trust.”

Partially Implemented Recommendations

Recruitment Program:

The DPD developed three broad recruiting goals but lacked specific measurements and timelines for achieving them. Department leaders intend to rewrite the recruitment program plan to include these details.

Exit Surveys and Retention:

While the response rate to the citywide exit survey increased from 6.25% to 61%, the department has no policies for reviewing and analyzing these surveys to identify trends that could improve retention.

Community Policing Engagement Plan:

The DPD created a “Community Policing Engagement Plan,” but it did not meet most of the elements from the original audit recommendation for a comprehensive strategic plan, nor was it effectively communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

Not Implemented Recommendations

As at the time of follow-up audit, the department has not yet developed and implemented the recommendation to identify the primary causes of low retention.

According to Auditor O’Brien, “By not following best practices for retention, Denver limits itself in keeping quality officers. An understaffed department impacts officer morale, 911 call response times, and community perception.” Without overall strategic guidance and better recruitment and retention efforts, the Denver Police Department will remain understaffed, putting both officers’ safety and community members’ safety at risk. Additionally, without a comprehensive strategy for community policing, the department’s efforts will remain siloed, making it harder for officers to rebuild trust and relationships with the people they serve.

Building strong relationships with neighborhood businesses and community organizations is crucial for healing relationships between Denver Police officers and the community. Implementing the auditor’s recommendations fully would enhance the department’s operations, support its officers better, and ultimately provide more effective service to Denver’s residents.