Police Reforms
At the time of Chief Herold’s 2023 departure from the Boulder Police Department, Deputy Chief Redfearn was asked to step in as Interim Chief. In the months since that interim appointment was made questions have been raised by the NAACP and other community members about his suitability for the role.
We therefore ask that as the City of Boulder moves forward with the process to hire a new police chief, that process be one that is open and fair and that allows space for community members to have their voices heard on our Interim Chief as well as all other candidates who are publicly announced as under consideration for the role.
Community Concerns*
Last fall, several members of the Boulder community raised concerns about Deputy Chief Redfearn. Those concerns included a perceived lack of candor about his activities in Aurora, including those on the day of Elijah McClain’s murder and during the violin vigil. The city responded not with opportunities for discussion and engagement but instead with a unified front in support of Redfearn that brooked no room for conversation.
After the departure of Chief Herold, Redfearn has engaged in a public relations campaign intended to burnish his reputation while he seeks appointment to be the next Boulder Police Chief. During this time, the city manager and various elected officials have been vocal in their support of his candidacy for the job.
The city has said it will conduct an open process for selection of the next police chief, however we are concerned that having senior city leadership and elected officials so publicly champion one candidate before applications are even open creates a public perception that a candidate has already been chosen, and harms the possibility for a truly fair and open recruitment process.
We ask that the city take the concerns of its community seriously and ensure that the upcoming process is one that can bring our community together rather than force it further apart. The city should make clear that while it invites Redfearn to apply to be the next chief, it will conduct an open process with no advantage given to him when candidates are considered.
When considering how to choose the next Chief of Police of the Boulder Police Department we ask the city to consider that a police department can only be truly effective in a community whose trust they have earned. Selecting a new chief of police who is seen as ethical and trustworthy by groups across our Boulder community is the first step in building a police department that truly serves us all.
What problem(s) does this proposal aim to solve?*
Boulder should have a police chief whose civil rights record is not mired in controversy. The city should give fair weight and consideration to the undermining of public trust that the negative Redfearn press attention has already caused.
The city should also consider the degree to which these past incidents and responses reflect poorly on the city at a time when it is trying to repair the damage caused by the Zaid Atkinson incident. The city should also take into account the pervasive sense among many people in Boulder’s communities of color that they are not welcome here.
If Boulder is going to be a leader in progressive policing, it needs a chief who is recognized as a progressive leader not just among elected officials, but in the civil rights community as well.