Colorado:
Police, Fire, Municipal Employment
Last Updated October 06, 2005

Colorado, Denver:

White officers' group in works (02/11/01)

          Denver police officer Ronnie Williams is tired of so-called affirmative action policies which require hiring and promotion of non-white officers ahead of European Americans such as himself.

          "Standing in front of a statue of American civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Denver police officer Ronnie Williams said Saturday [Feb. 10] that his desire to create an organization for white officers was prompted by frustrations over hiring and promotions.

          "Some officers, Williams said, have felt passed over for promotions and jobs in favor of minority candidates.   "Over the years, we decided white officers have issues," too, said Williams, a white patrolman and eight-year member of the force.

          Officer Williams deliberately spoke in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. statue in order to emphasize equal rights.   "That's what he stood for," Williams said. "That's the point we're trying to get across."  Other issues Williams said he wants to address are racial quotas, racial profiling and equal punishments.

          Officer Williams told Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman that he was starting a group which he called the "Denver Police Equal Rights Association", and that he was modeling his upstard organization after the White Police Association in the Houston, Texas police department.

          According to Officer Williams, the Denver Police Equal Rights Association would be open to all officers and would seek equal rights for all police officers regardless of race, gender, or national origin.

          According to the Denver Post:   "On Saturday at City Park, [Denver Police Officer] Williams told members of the media that organizations based on race are divisive. He said he will work internally with supervisors and the Police Protective Association to resolve disputes over hiring and promotions to sergeant, detective or special assignments."

          The Denver police department currently has black, Hispanic, and gay officer organizations.  Prior to Officer Williams' announcement, none of the current Denver Police organizations sought to defend the rights of all officers regardless of race, gender or ethnicity.

          Disengenuously, the president of the Black Police Officers Organization, Mr. Michael Lemmons, said "If it's about equal rights for all, that's a good thing. If it's special treatment for some, that would be a bad thing."

          According to the Denver Post, police spokeswoman Virginia Lopez said the chief [Gerry Whitman] met with Officer Williams and discussed his concerns, "and as long as this organization adheres to the strict guidelines when forming and practicing within this organization, there is no problem.   However," said spokeswoman Virginia Lopez, "with any organization within the police department, there are personal biases that need to be put aside."

          According to the Denver Post, Detective John Wyckoff, spokesman for the Police Protective Association, said he has attended meetings with Chief Whitman and Officer Williams about the effort and is not opposed to it.  "Everybody has a right to start whatever organization they want," Wyckoff said.  The Police Protective Association believes it "can represent the needs of all officers," from job benefits to working conditions - regardless of race. That organization is a fraternal group that is commonly referred to as the police union.

          Police spokeswoman Virginia Lopez denied that resentment over racial quotas is a factor in the Denver police department.   According to the Denver Post, Ms. Lopez said:  "We are all men and women in blue.  Are there some people in the department that may have strong feelings [about racial quotas]?  I'm sure there are.  But when it comes to the job, we remain professional."

(Excerpted from the Feb. 11, 2001 article in the Denver Post by Post Staff Writer Karen Rouse)

[link to original story:  http://www.denverpost.com/news/news0211a.htm ]

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