Millions for police during DNC

By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 6, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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More than half of the $50 million federal grant for security at the Democratic National Convention was earmarked to pay police and other personnel, according to a preliminary accounting released Friday.

The list, which includes purchases such as chemical munitions and oxygen kits, is the most detailed view of how Denver planned to spend the money but does not reflect final expenditures, according to the city.

The list was compiled 60 to 90 days before last month's convention and payments are still being processed, said Katherine Archuleta, senior policy adviser to Mayor John Hickenlooper. Final numbers should be available in two or three months, and then the Department of Justice will audit the expenditures.

Approximately $28 million was budgeted for salaries, mostly for police. That includes the biggest single item on the eight-page spreadsheet: $10.1 million to pay officers from other jurisdictions that assisted Denver police. Approximately $7.6 million was budgeted to pay Denver police.

"It seems kind of overkill," said Mark Cohen, co-founder of the protest group Re-create 68.

The highest estimate was 25,000 protesters in Denver, but the reality was more like 5,000, Cohen said.

"It seems like they were preparing for an invasion," Cohen said. "Not a group of demonstrators coming to engage in the political process."

Archuleta said the expenditures were justified.

"You can't anticipate what the situation is going to be," she said, noting there were more arrests at this week's Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. "You have to be prepared for every eventuality."

Officers in Denver made 154 arrests during the convention. The tally at the Republican National Convention has been put at more than 800.

And protesters were not the only concern, said Denver City Councilman Doug Linkhart. Terrorists were also on the public safety radar.

"We were preparing for both," added Linkhart, chairman of the council safety committee. "I don't consider them the same."

Linkhart, who had raised concerns about the lack of details as to how the $50 million would be spent, said there was "nothing unreasonable" in the draft budget released Friday. He called it thorough and transparent.

Linkhart's main concern Friday was how Denver deployed its force. He said having officers shuttle through the city hanging onto SUV's appeared heavy- handed.

"I don't know if that was necessary," said Linkhart, adding he received about a half-dozen complaints about those tactics. "I would only bring out the heavy artillery when we need it."

Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said, "It's unfortunate that some people want to second-guess our success."

The security budget also listed $3.68 million of "indirect costs." Archuleta said that is mostly administrative.

Actual spending could be more or less than is listed in the budget, according to the city. But Archuleta said whatever the city purchased, it can keep.

Non-salary items in the proposed DNC security budget included:

$760,000 for a rescue vehicle

$750,000 for a hazmat vehicle

$650,000 for a tractor trailer used in life-saving operations

$111,000 for riot control "turtle suits"

$110,700 for pepperball launchers with munitions

$80,800 for 1,500 CamelBaks for Denver police

• September 6, 2008

  12:56 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Zathman writes:

  I'm interested to know what Bluetooth Headsets they purchased…

  Wireless Bluetooth Headsets / Cost: $23,000 / Note: 16 @ $1445

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