Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Dan Gibbs placed Parks and Wildlife Director Dan Prenzlow on administrative leave after Gibbs received complaints about “inappropriate comments and interactions” at a CPW conference in Vail last week, a state media release said.

Gibbs did not disclose what those remarks were, but an anonymous group called “Justice at CPW” identified the event and the alleged comments.

A Monday statement from Justice for CPW accused Prenzlow of directing racially insensitive language toward a Black agency employee in front of 600 people at the department’s ninth annual conference on April 19.

Justice at CPW also published a statement the group said came from the employee. In the statement addressed to Gibbs and Gov. Jared Polis, the employee said she is “traumatized, disappointed, upset and extremely uncomfortable.”

Officials to contemplate future management of Paint Mines east of Colorado Springs

The employee could not be reached for comment but confirmed in an email that the statement posted by Justice for CPW is accurate.

Prenzlow could not be reached for comment.

Rick Enstrom, ‭who served on the state wildlife commission from 2000 to 2008 and was chairman for three years, said he doesn’t know any more about exactly what was said or the context, but that he doesn’t think Prenzlow could have been “inappropriate” intentionally.

“He just had a Howard Cosell moment, a poor choice of words,” Enstrom said. “When you get that far up the food chain, there’s no room for inadvertence by anybody, poor guy. I hate to see this event define an otherwise nearly perfect and stellar career.”

In a statement on Monday, Gibbs said she he received “several complaints about inappropriate comments and interactions” at CPW’s Partners in Outdoors Conference in Vail.

“As the Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, equitable, inclusive access for all to our programs, events, and the outdoors are a priority personally and integral to the mission and culture of DNR,” Gibbs said. “DNR has commenced a fact-finding investigation to better understand what occurred and to help inform any future personnel or department actions. We will follow our processes and procedures in regards to complaints received associated with the conference.”

Meanwhile, Heather Dugan, assistant director for field services with 30 years of recreational and wildlife experience, will take over as acting director for the agency.

Reporter Scott Weiser contributed to this story.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Dan Gibbs placed Parks and Wildlife Director Dan Prenzlow on administrative leave after Gibbs received complaints about “inappropriate comments and interactions” at a CPW conference in Vail last week, a state media release said.

The release did not elaborate on the nature of the complaints, but said that the Colorado Department of Natural Resources would investigate what happened at the conference.

Officials to contemplate future management of Paint Mines east of Colorado Springs

“As the Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, equitable, inclusive access for all to our programs, events, and the outdoors are a priority personally and integral to the mission and culture of DNR,” Gibbs said in the release.

Meanwhile, Heather Dugan, assistant director for field services with 30 years of recreational and wildlife experience, will take over as acting director for the agency.

El Paso County’s new open space a quiet, scenic slice of prairie | Happy Trails

Electric Hills mountain bike trails growing in western Colorado