Denver considers allowing noncitizens to serve as police officers, firefighters

Denver voters will likely be asked to remove the citizenship requirement for police officers and firefighters this November.

The Denver City Council is moving forward with a proposal that would allow noncitizens, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, to serve in those roles.

DACA recipients are people who were brought to the United States as children and are protected from deportation. According to the U.S. Department of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there are more than 530,000 DACA recipients in the U.S.

Currently, under the city’s charter, only U.S. citizens can serve as Denver police officers and firefighters.

Denver City Council

Denver City Council President Jamie Torres first spoke with Denver7 about the proposal in February. Torres, who is sponsoring the proposal along with Denver City Council President Pro Tem Amanda Sandoval, said it could help the police and fire departments find more qualified applicants.

“We know that one of the things that both departments have been struggling with is really getting really great, qualified applicants through the door,” said Torres. “What I think this means for Dreamers, for DACA recipients, for legal permanent residents, they get a chance at a really important, meaningful job path.”

Torres reiterated that the proposal would not allow immigrants who've recently arrived to serve as police officers.

“The newest arrival immigrants, one, don't even have work authorization right now, but two, they wouldn't qualify under the language requirements,” said Torres. “You have to qualify as a high school grad or a GED recipient, and then you also have to pass a series of background checks.”

The city's police and fire chiefs have each signaled their support for the change, according to Torres.

While allowing noncitizens to serve as police officers and firefighters would be new to Denver, it’s already something other cities in Colorado allow. Aurora and Boulder have allowed legal permanent residents to serve for several years now. But until recently, DACA recipients, who are authorized to work in the U.S., were not allowed to serve as police officers because they were not legally allowed to carry firearms.

Lone Tree Police Chief Kirk Wilson was among those who pushed for the passage of a bill last year to change that.

City of Lone Tree

“We have a fairly diverse population, particularly in the Denver metro area, and the more diverse we can have a police department, the better off we all are,” said Wilson.

Wilson said he pushed for the passage of House Bill 23-1143 to help one of his community service officers, Jesus Olivas.

“He's got a great personality. He's a hard worker. He's trustworthy,” said Wilson.

However, because Olivas is a DACA recipient, he could not legally carry a firearm and, therefore, could not serve as a police officer in Colorado.

“He could go in the military, but he could not be a police officer. It was just, in my opinion, a little bit of a loophole,” said Wilson.

Wilson and Olivas went to the Colorado State Capitol and testified in support of the bipartisan-sponsored bill to allow DACA recipients to work in law enforcement and carry firearms.

“I believed he was just a very valuable asset and I wanted to see him get an opportunity to fulfill his dream of being a police officer,” said Wilson.

Olivas shared his story with lawmakers.

“Since I was young, it has always been my dream to someday become a police officer. I was brought to the United States as a child by my family, and I'm proud to call the United States of America my home,” he said.

The bill passed and was signed into law, giving cities across Colorado an opportunity to hire DACA recipients who are willing and qualified to serve. The passage of the state law allowed Chief Wilson to hire Olivas as an officer in Lone Tree.

“He's been doing really, really well and working hard and learning,” said Wilson. “It's definitely a different role than being a community safety officer, but he's doing outstanding.”

The Denver City Council is expected to take the first reading on July 8 and the final reading and public hearing on July 15.

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