Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has called for an outside review of the Denver Sheriff Department with a focus on the embattled department’s internal affairs bureau, reports the Denver Post. Safety Director Stephanie O’Malley said hiring an independent firm to study the sheriff’s department is her priority as she tries to stop the flow of abuse complaints. “The question that continues to present itself is, ‘Is there something we’re missing?’ ” O’Malley said. “Perhaps hiring an independent firm to come in and take a look is a good thing.”
Hancock’s call comes a week after Gary Wilson stepped down as sheriff amid a growing number of abuse cases. Also last week, the city reached a tentative $3.25 million settlement with former inmate Jamal Hunter, who had reported being attacked by deputies and by fellow inmates as a deputy turned his head. O’Malley said she hopes an independent study would be a top-to-bottom review that covered everything from recruiting to management structure to inmate grievances. She would ask any firm to look at the amount of overtime worked by deputies and to look at the internal affairs bureau and what qualifications deputies should have to be appointed to it.