Denver Considers Allowing Non-Citizens to Serve as Police, Firefighters

DENVER – In November, Denver voters will likely be asked to eliminate a citizenship requirement for police officers and firefighters.

The Denver City Council is advancing a proposal that would allow noncitizens, including recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, to fill these roles.

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

According to the city charter, currently only U.S. citizens can serve as police officers and firefighters in Denver.

Denver City Council

Denver City Council President Jamie Torres first spoke to 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 police and fire departments find more qualified candidates.

“We know that one of the things that both departments struggle with is really getting really great, qualified candidates,” Torres said. “I think what this means for Dreamers, for DACA recipients, for lawful permanent residents, is that they have an opportunity for a really important, meaningful career path.”

Torres reiterated that the proposal would not allow newly arrived immigrants to serve as police officers.

“First of all, the youngest immigrants right now don’t even have a work permit, but second of all, they wouldn’t meet the language requirements,” Torres said. “You have to qualify as a high school graduate or GED recipient, and then you have to go through a series of background checks.”

According to Torres, local police and fire chiefs have signaled their support for the change.

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

Lone Tree Police Chief Kirk Wilson was among those pushing for legislation last year to change that.

Lone Tree City

“We have quite a diverse population, especially in the Denver metropolitan area, and the more diverse the police department can be, the better off we will all be,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he pushed for House Bill 23-1143 to be passed to help one of his community service workers, Jesus Olivas.

“He’s got a great personality. He’s hardworking. He’s trustworthy,” Wilson said.

However, Olivas was a DACA recipient, so he could not legally carry a firearm and was not eligible to serve as a police officer in Colorado.

“He could have gone into the military, but he couldn’t have been a police officer. In my opinion, that was just a little loophole,” Wilson said.

Wilson and Olivas traveled to the Colorado State Capitol, where they testified in support of a bipartisan bill that would allow DACA recipients to work in law enforcement and carry firearms.

“I thought he was a great asset and I wanted him to have the opportunity to fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer,” Wilson said.

Olivas shared his story with lawmakers.

“Since I was young, I always dreamed of becoming a police officer one day. My family brought me to the United States as a child and I am proud to call the United States my home,” he said.

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

“He’s doing really, really well, working hard and studying,” Wilson said. “It’s definitely a different role than being a community safety officer, but he’s doing great.”

The Denver City Council is expected to hold a first reading on July 8, with a final reading and public hearing on July 15.

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