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Proposal to remove citizenship requirements for Denver police officers, firefighters is ahead

By November 7, 2024 | updated 1 year ago

TDP-Z-Stutler Bowl-112523-rs (copy)
Denver Police Academy class 23-1 stands at attention during the ceremony at the Denver Police Training Academy on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 in Denver, Colo. 47 recruit officers were sworn in as Denver Police officers during the ceremony. (Rebecca Slezak/Special to The Denver Gazette)
Rebecca Slezak

A ballot measure seeking to remove citizenship requirements for Denver police officers and firefighters is poised to pass.

The latest tally from the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s Office shows the measure with a roughly 2.7-point lead in favor of passing: 51.4% to 48.6%.

Roughly 255,000 votes have been counted as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.

If voters approved the measure, the Denver Police Department and Denver Fire Department would be allowed to hire “qualified” non-citizens to serve. This means they must have some degree of work authorization and be a permanent resident of Denver.

The measure cleared the City Council in July after a unanimous decision by Denver’s legislative body.

“These are members of our community who have graduated from our high schools, maybe even our colleges, who are making lives for themselves here in Denver,” Councilmember Jamie Torres said at the time. “(Immigrants) may want to consider (police and fire) as their future job, but haven’t been able to, because our charter restricts it. They should be able to apply and they should be able to compete because they can work.”

Denver would join several metro area cities, including Boulder and Aurora, which do not impose a citizenship requirement on prospective police officers and fire fighters.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 made it illegal for an employer to discriminate against job applicants based on one’s citizenship or immigration status, provided they can legally work in that location, according to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

In 2016, the Denver Sheriff’s Department settled a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice for $10,000 after a court found the department to be in violation of that act. As a result, immigrants with valid work authorizations were able to apply.

State law allows DACA recipients to possess firearms and serve as law enforcement officers, according to House Bill 23-1143, which was signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis in June of 2023. It became effective in August of the same year.

The bill drew bipartisan support in the state legislature, sponsored by three Democrats and one Republican, according to The Denver Gazette’s media partner 9News.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas and Denver Fire Chief Desmond Fulton both support the measure.

Alexander Edwards

Reporter

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