Denver Mayoral Candidate Mike Johnston Releases Ambitious Plan to Drastically Improve Public Safety

Today, former State Senator and nonprofit CEO Mike Johnston released the third data-driven, fully paid-for policy plan of his campaign. This newest policy proposal puts forward a smart, compassionate, and fair approach to improving public safety in Denver. 

Building on his plans to end homelessness and make housing more affordable, Johnston’s plan to improve public safety will take a community-centered approach that focuses on early intervention and expanding key mental health and addiction services while ensuring the city still enforces the law so all Denverites are safe in their city.

“In too many parts of Denver people have come to accept that feeling afraid is just a fact of  life, but we should expect more than that,” said Mike Johnston. “We want a Denver where you can walk outside with your kids at night and feel safe in any neighborhood. We want a Denver where you can go to sleep and not worry that your car will be stolen in the morning. We can have that Denver, but we need to take a different approach to crime in order to build it. We need to hold those who break the law accountable for their actions while supporting our neighbors in need of intervention—we need a strong, compassionate, and fair approach to public safety. I know that Denver can be the safest big city in America, but we must change our approach to public safety to get there.” 

Johnston’s comprehensive, fully paid-for public safety plan will implement four innovative and proven solutions that will ensure Denverites feel protected without feeling policed: 

1. Restore civility in our public spaces by enforcing the law and establishing consequences for disruptive, criminal behavior on our streets. 
2. Convert two pods of the jail to mental health and addiction treatment facilities and send low-level offenders to treatment by expanding the use of diversionary courts and creating more beds for psychiatric care so people in need of treatment can receive it.
3. Keep Denver safe by putting 200 more first responders on the streets, including mental health professionals, EMTs and police officers walking the beat.
4. Establish an Auto Theft Unit and give law enforcement better tools to address skyrocketing rates of motor vehicle theft and prevent and investigate crime.

Read the full plan, including details, budget, and funding sources here.