DENVER – Mayor Mike Johnston and his administration hope a brand new program introduced Monday might be one other step in revitalizing the town’s financial and cultural middle, which continues to get well from dwindling foot visitors brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Calling downtown Denver the “lounge of the town” the place Denverites come to see a ball recreation, eat or take pleasure in hours of procuring, Johnston mentioned he needed each resident and visitor coming to Denver for the primary time to “really feel protected proper right here in our lounge and in addition to really feel impressed by the creativity and the innovation and the ingenuity of what Denver has to supply.”
To take action, the mayor outlined a multi-step program involving not simply the town or the police division, however companies, nonprofits, residents and vacationers to create a plan “constructed on the assumption {that a} protected and clear and delightful downtown is all of our accountability,” the mayor mentioned alongside the CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership and the pinnacle of the Denver Dream Heart, a nonprofit that helps previously incarcerated folks rebuild their lives after their launch.
A part of the revitalization is already underway with the closing of a number of encampments downtown, Johnston mentioned.
“Our plan now’s to maintain it that manner, is to guarantee that we are able to hold downtown freed from tenting and hold folks linked to companies and helps they should get again up on their ft,” the mayor mentioned.
Calling on Denverites to interact in a shared possession to maintain downtown Denver stunning and protected, Johnston additionally inspired Denverites and vacationers alike to report any suspicious exercise they could encounter with the assistance of the brand new Clear and Protected Denver app unveiled by Kourtny Garrett, the CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. The app, unveiled throughout Monday’s information convention, is offered for each Apple and Android units.
“That manner if there may be unpleasant trash, you’ll be able to tell us. If there’s somebody in psychological well being misery who wants assist, you’ll be able to tell us. If there’s somebody that’s utilizing or abusing medication, you’ll be able to tell us. If there may be somebody that wants entry to assist and companies, you’ll be able to tell us,” the mayor mentioned. “We wish Denver to be a spot the place everybody feels snug, and we may be sending the best responder to the best place on the proper time” with the assistance of the app, he mentioned.
Garrett advised reporters Monday the app will empower folks to “be part of making our downtown simply that extra stunning, extra clear and extra protected (sic)” by permitting customers to take a photograph of any non-emergent exercise folks really feel wants responding by the town, which can then be despatched to the suitable group of responders to take care of the problem.
Garrett advised Denver7 the app and the yellow vest Ambassadors are an growth of the security partnership began in November 2022 beneath the Mayor Michael B. Hancock administration. She mentioned the Ambassadors program relies on the Downtown Motion Staff, which introduced collectively native enforcement and outreach companies. However this new iteration is “on steroids,” she mentioned, as a result of the partnerships are broader and extra seen.
Mayor Mike Johnston proclaims creation of Denver Ambassadors Program
Whereas not the Colorado Guardian Angels of the 90s, Johnston additionally introduced the creation of the Denver Ambassadors Program – “a plan to unify the responders that come out to assist folks within the metropolis and the velocity at which we are able to reply” which can encompass nonprofits, metropolis staff, folks in non-public safety and sure, even the Denver Police Division, based on the mayor. “The thought is that we are able to have the best particular person with the best response there rapidly to have the ability to assist folks as quickly as you want it.”
Carrying yellow vests (just like the one the mayor is seen donning within the photograph of this text), the job of the Ambassadors would largely concentrate on serving to folks with non-emergent wants similar to serving to a vacationer discover methods to get to Coors Discipline, or request the assistance of Denver’s STAR program if somebody is in misery downtown.
“That is if you’re going for a run at 9 o’clock at evening, you’ll be able to see a yellow vest and you already know that’s somebody that’s there to supply assist,” Johnston mentioned. “ these are of us that may both immediately assist you or join you to the best particular person.”
Whereas the mayor couldn’t say what number of Ambassadors could be patrolling downtown, the numbers could be within the tons of resulting from all of the personnel with whom the town is partnering to make this system potential. This system, Johnston added, would at first concentrate on neighborhoods downtown earlier than increasing to different areas.
Individuals in an emergency would nonetheless must name 911 for assist or 311 in the event that they’re want in of metropolis companies, the mayor confused.
Johnston additionally briefly touched on the town’s Dynamic Downtown Denver plan, aimed toward distributing tons of of hundreds of {dollars} in grants.
People, nonprofits, neighborhood teams and companies are eligible to use for the grants, which can vary from $500 to $25,000, Garrett mentioned beforehand. To be taught extra about these grants and methods to apply, click on right here.
“For those who see somebody on the road with a yellow vest, you’ll be able to cease and ask them (to assist). They will bounce in and assist immediately, and (then the subsequent step is) to do ongoing activation of all these areas as a result of we all know the alternative of crime isn’t security. The other of crime is pleasure,” Johnston mentioned in closing remarks. “And so what we wish to do is de facto, intentionally, sow pleasure on all of the streets with each the neighborhood activation we’ll have downtown, all of the enterprise activations the place persons are down right here with the folks they love, doing the issues they love, in a spot that they love.”
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