Oft-Rejected Recruit Finally Gets His Badge

March 25 - Ellis "Max" Johnson II strode stoically toward the stage
Friday to accept his coveted prize - the badge of the Denver Police
Department.

"It took Max 20 years of trials and tribulations to make it, but he's
finally won," said friend Jon Andreotti. "He's very prideful and kind
of nervous right now, but he's earned this."

Nearly all those who'd been embroiled in Johnson's controversial
hiring were there to witness the 40-year-old's graduation from the
police academy. Thirty-one other recruits also graduated.

Manager of Safety Butch Montoya, who appointed Johnson to the academy
in October despite Johnson's history of drug abuse, thievery and
domestic violence, handed Johnson his graduation certificate.

Denver Civil Service Commissioner Kristopher Colley, with whom Johnson
allegedly had ties strong enough to gain entry, applauded from the
front row. Police Capt. James Collier and commission Executive
Director Paul Torres, caught up on different sides of the issue, also
were there.

Johnson kept his composure, his eyes aimed straight ahead. The crowd
of about 300, mostly relatives and friends of Johnson's classmates,
cheered louder for Johnson than for any other graduate. Even louder
than for James Medina, who walked off with the outstanding-recruit
award, or Kevin Malloy, who seemed to win every other award.

Johnson didn't win any award Friday, but he did register a personal
victory, friends said.

"We just told him to overlook all the problems and to move on to his
career," a friend of Johnson's said as Police Chief Gerry Whitman
pinned the badge on Johnson's uniform.

Johnson declined to comment, as he has since joining the academy Nov.
1. But one fellow graduate, Alan Fleming, said Johnson was not treated
or viewed differently than any other recruit.

"We are all just part of a team," said Fleming, a 53-year-old rookie
and former department chaplain. "There was a lot of controversy, but
there are no distinctions between us."

Montoya was clear that Johnson has work to do but that he earned his
shot at the department. Johnson had 21 unsuccessful tries at 19
different agencies - including three previous failures in Denver.

"We ought to give him this opportunity to prove himself," Montoya said
after the ceremony. "I believe in second chances."

Whitman, named acting chief last month after Johnson-opponent Tom
Sanchez was asked to step down, said a committee reviewing police
hiring standards could make some valuable changes since the Johnson
affair exposed potential weaknesses.

"What we need is consistency in hiring," Whitman said. "He's just one
of 32 graduates today. I guess we all make mistakes in our past."
Johnson admitted on his department application that he had used
cocaine, LSD and other narcotics as many as 150 times, the last time
more than a decade ago.

A karate black belt instructor and former psychologist, Johnson failed
over and over in efforts to join a police department. His last
previous attempt ended in dismissal when he washed out eight weeks
into Glendale's training program.

But Johnson finished Denver's 22-week academy and on Monday begins a
3-month field training program at his first assignment, at District 4
in southwest Denver. His probation ends on Christmas Eve.

As Friday's ceremony ended, the new officers marched through the aisle
of hundreds of well-wishers. With new police badges attached to their
uniforms, Johnson remained ramrod as he approached the barrage of
newspaper and television cameras documenting the event.

Then there was a cheer from a supporter - "Atta boy, Max!" - and for a
brief moment, Ellis Johnson smiled.