Denver’s Got a Police Problem. Will the Chief’s Retirement Fix it?

Denver’s Chief of Police Paul Pazen is retiring. After 28 years on the force, Chief Pazen was appointed to the position in 2018 by Mayor Hancock. Since then, he’s faced increasing scrutiny for the police’s behavior under his leadership — including a $14 million settlement for police brutality against protestors during the George Floyd uprisings and, most recently, police shooting and injuring six innocent bystanders on a crowded street in LoDo. Today on the show, Westword editor Patty Calhoun joins host Bree Davies to discuss Pazen’s departure, what the new chief is walking into, and what the next state and city elections have to do with the police’s role in Denver.

For more on Chief Pazen, check out Bree’s interview with the man himself from earlier this year.

Patty mentioned her last appearance on the show, when she told the story of Elvis the cop lover’s admiration for Denver’s own Fool’s Gold sandwich. 

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