Boulder County officers to aid DNC security

By Heath Urie, Daily Camera

Published May 29, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Boulder County law enforcement agencies will dedicate about 75 officers and thousands of hours of service to help Denver police with the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

The Denver Police Department is seeking to contract with as many as 40 suburban departments to help patrol and control the Aug. 25-28 convention. Thousands of people are expected to flood the city before, during and after the event.

According to a draft agreement being presented to the City Council at its June 3 meeting, 25 Boulder police officers will be assigned primarily to provide security at Denver hotels where delegates are lodged.

In addition, two Boulder detectives will be assigned to unspecified "intelligence and counterterrorism measures."

Boulder will seek full reimbursement for the cost of patrol vehicles and manpower sent to the convention, although the total estimated cost of the services is not yet known.

Most of the costs will likely be covered by federal grant money made available for convention security.

The city has received assurances by police and the Boulder County Sheriff's Office - which is sending an additional 25 deputies - that local service levels won't be affected by the special assignments.

For example, the Boulder, Longmont and Boulder County SWAT teams and an emergency response team will remain stationed in Boulder County during the convention.

"We feel like we've maintained the number of resources we may need in Boulder," Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner said.

The county's Emergency Operations Center also will remain open throughout the convention, Beckner said, as both a precaution and as a test of the center's new headquarters.

"We'll have it open and ready to assist," Beckner said. "We thought it would be a good time to practice having the center open."

Beckner said this will be the first time he can recall sending so many officers and resources out of the city.

"I don't believe we've ever sent 25" officers, he said.

Longmont police Cmdr. Craig Earhart, who also is providing officers, has previously said it's "very unique" that so many agencies statewide are being called to help with a single event.

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