Denver Police Dept. suggestions to Michael Hancock target media, speed traps, pants

Michael Hancock.

Shortly after taking office, Mayor Michael Hancock had suggestion boxes placed in Denver Police substations, and an anonymous selection from districts 5 and 6 provides a fascinating insight into the thoughts of some officers.

The focus of the notes -- fifteen pages of which are on view below -- ranges from unfair media coverage to uniform pants.

The first letter in the collection, originally obtained by CBS4, begins with praise for Hancock's decision to appear at roll call before revealing, "When I first came on the job, I was very proud to say that I was a Denver Police Officer. I couldn't wait to tell people Now, that has changed. I'm ashamed to tell people I'm a Denver cop, and I'm afraid of the questions they'll ask me."

Not that the author blames bad apples in the department for this situation. "I wholeheartedly believe that the media in Denver has been given free reign to vilify the police department, and nothing has been done to stop it," the letter continues. "Our chief, and our mayor, has never (or so rarely as to seem like never) stood up for those of us on the streets. When something happens that the media deems 'controversial,' nobody ever comes forward and says, 'Hey wait, those cops were doing the best they could in a hard situation. Until evidence proves otherwise, we stand by the decisions of our officers.'"

Another letter offers a surprising observation coming from a member of the department: "Our Traffic Operations Bureau has become nothing more than a money making agency for the city. We are making money off the back of our citizens by writing them tickets for going 10 MPH over the speed limit while the poor citizen that is involved in a traffic accident has to wait an hour and a half to get an officer to investigate their accident. Then a district patrol officer has to investigate and report the accident all while other calls for service have been waiting one to two hours."

The most unusual suggestion? A handwritten scrawl that reads, "BDU [Battle Dress Uniform] UNIFORM PANTS PLEASE."

Below, find all the suggestions, which can also be accessed by clicking here.

Denver Police Department Suggestions to Mayor Michael Hancock

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