The Denver City Council has created a public safety working group responsible for reviewing the 112 policing reform recommendations made by the Reimagine Policing and Public Safety task force.

The working group, chaired by Councilman Paul Kashmann, will determine which of the recommendations the city will pursue and the next steps the City Council will take towards implementation.

“I expect this important effort will include challenging discussions of how to address the unfortunate reality of policing in America – and in Denver specifically – has had a dramatic and inequitable impact on a variety of populations, most notably communities of color,” Kashmann said.

The task force submitted its policing reform recommendations to the City Council Monday – nearly a year after the task force was established last June in response to the police killing of George Floyd and the Denver police’s response to the resulting protests in the city.

The task force is comprised of civil rights organizations, activists, social services providers, faith-based organizations, policy advocacy and youth services, in addition to collaboration with several government and policing agencies.

The recommendations are split into five categories: helping the community provide its own public safety, minimizing unnecessary interaction with law enforcement, supporting those released from prison, rebuilding trust between the public and police and establishing proper oversight for law enforcement.

“I look forward to taking a deeper dive into these community recommendations and advancing the change that our constituents wish to see in Denver,” said Councilwoman Pro Tem Jamie Torres, who will serve as vice chair of the working group.

“Our Denver communities need increased transparency around public safety, including being able to share their input and create meaningful change that addresses the historical and ongoing injustices both at our national and local policing levels.”

In addition to Torres and Kashmann, the working group will be open to all council members and will initially be seated with council members Candi CdeBaca, Kevin Flynn, Robin Kniech and Amanda Sawyer.

The working group will also partner with the Office of Social Justice and Innovation to help evaluate and dismantle racism within the city’s institutional and structural government systems, policies and practices, the release said.

All working group meetings will be open to the public and announced in advance once they have been scheduled.