2 DENVER COPS CHARGED

July 20, 2000 - Marking another black eye for Denver police, prosecutors
charged two gang unit officers Wednesday with destroying evidence in more
than 80 drug cases.

"Any time you have an organization this big, you're going to have a few
bumps in the road," said Deputy Police Chief Dave Abrams. "We're going to
try to get them straightened out as quickly and as efficiently as possible."

Officer Kurt Peterson and Technician Danny Alverson were charged with abuse
of public records, a misdemeanor, and a petty offense of second-degree
official misconduct.

They allegedly destroyed evidence in at least 80 arrests for possession of
small amounts of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. They destroyed the
evidence and threw it away instead of taking it to the property bureau at
police headquarters downtown, officials said.

"It's a big disappointment," Abrams said of the allegations. "They're
outstanding gang cops. You can't cut the corners."

The charges come in the same week as a controversy over Colorado Rockie
Mike Lansing accompanying SWAT officers on a "no-knock" drug raid last
September that left 45-year-old Ismael Mena dead.

Lansing's ride-along came to light this weekend - nearly 10 months after
the fatal raid - and prompted swift changes in department policies.

The charges also come as authorities investigate the disappearance of
almost $100,000 in cash from the property bureau.

According to police reports, Alverson and Peterson made the arrests between
September 1998 and May 2000. The officers allegedly destroyed evidence in
municipal court cases that were likely to be plea-bargained.

The allegations apparently came to light when the city attorney's office
discovered evidence missing in a case.

John Wyckoff, a spokesman for the Denver Police Protective Association,
said the department needs to change the way it handles evidence.

"There needs to be outlets for evidence at the district stations," Wyckoff
said. "We need to make it more efficient for officers to stay in service."

He cited the case of District 5, which serves Montbello and Green Valley
Ranch in far northeast Denver and typically has four or five cars per shift.

"You could conceivably have these officers all out transporting evidence to
the police administration building," Wyckoff said. "That's not an efficient
use of manpower." Alverson, 49, has been on the police force since 1972.
Peterson, 37, is a 13-year veteran.

Alverson was suspended from the force for 15 days in 1977 for driving under
the influence of alcohol and shooting his gun at street lights and stop
signs. Alverson also lost his driver's license for six months.

In this year's case, both officers were reassigned to district stations
after the allegations came to light. Neither could be reached for comment
Wednesday.

They were served with summonses to appear Aug. 14 in Denver County Court
for arraignment.

Conviction on the misdemeanor abuse-of-public-records count could carry six
to 18 months in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. Conviction on the misconduct
charge could carry up to six months in jail and up to a $500 fine.