Public Safety & Service:

• PUBLIC SAFETY: Continued support for our first responders, law enforcement and municipal court, ensuring they have the resources necessary to do their jobs. This means addressing crime and criminals but also recognizing and diverting individuals in crisis.
  • Jail is the right answer for some, and criminals should face the consequences of their choices. But for those in crisis, responses that prioritize mental health are the solution to preventing further harm.
  • I’m proud of our city for investing in evidence-based, community-oriented solutions that seek to help those in need, and as a councilmember I will continue to champion this kind of work:
    • Arvada’s co-responder program embeds social workers with police and fire to de-escalate crisis situations and ensure those in trouble get connected to help.
    • Arvada’s ‘One Small Step’ court program designs justice to meet low-level offenders where they are, diverting those in need away from prison in exchange for them taking appropriate, proactive steps to help themselves with support from case managers and partners invested in seeing them succeed.

• HOMELESSNESS: We also need a forward-thinking and collaborative approach to helping our city’s homeless Homelessness has become a national crisis; it is not unique to Arvada or even the Denver Metro Region. But to address our local need, we must work with our County and regional municipal partners to provide the facilities and supports necessary to get people back on their feet.
  • Arvada has secured land to explore construction of a navigation center that would provide wrap-around services paired with housing. A twin project is also being developed in Lakewood, and these facilities would be prioritized for JeffCo residents experiencing homelessness.
  • I am also excited about two non-profit led projects the City has been able to support:
    • The first project will support homeless or housing-unstable families with housing, therapy, childcare, job training, and “life-training” services {such as balanced banking, understanding credit, etc.}, with an ultimate goal of moving “graduates” out and into home ownership by the time they are ready to leave.
    • A second project will provide housing to hard-to-house individuals with significant needs, and wrap them in tailored on-site supports such as addiction treatment and mental healthcare.

 Make no mistake, it is nearly impossible to successfully support and treat a person who does not have safe, stable housing, and we cannot criminalize our way out of this crisis. By addressing basic stability first, we will get people off of the street and into an environment where they are able to focus on treatment, set and achieve personal goals, (re)connect with loved ones, and become empowered to take ownership of the journey forward.