WEBB ORDERS OVERHAUL OF POLICE

Mayor names Whitman interim chief, calls for sweeping review of raid,
chase, recruiting policies

Denver's mayor called for a sweeping review of the Police Department
and named an interim chief Wednesday night to head the effort.

Gerry Whitman, an 18-year veteran, was named to temporarily lead a
department troubled in recent months by a series of black eyes,
including a no-knock raid that left a man dead.

Mayor Wellington Webb set no timetable for naming a permanent
replacement for the fired Tom Sanchez, and Whitman said he hasn't
decided whether he wants the job permanently.

"The process we are now initiating is not designed to merely appoint a
new police chief and 'fix' a few problems with the department," Webb
said in a 7:30 p.m. press conference.

"I am far from satisfied with what's been happening at the Denver
Police Department," the mayor said.

Instead, Webb wants to look at changing the way the department does
business. They could include:

The department's policies on things like high-speed chases, no-knock
raids and crowd control, to see if they are doing enough to accomplish
police objectives while limiting the threat to the general public.

Recruitment and training, to make sure the department gets the
best-qualified officers.

How younger, less-experienced officers are deployed, to make sure they
are not put in situations they are not trained for nor qualified to
handle.

Assignments handed out to officers, to ensure they are appropriate and
discipline, to make sure it is fair and consistent.

"I've got a lot of listening to do," Whitman said, flanked by Webb and
Manager of Safety Fidel "Butch" Montoya.

Whitman has been chief of the department's patrol division for the
past 18 months. He and Sanchez were the last two people considered
when Dave Michaud retired in 1998.

Ultimately, Webb chose Sanchez. But his reign was marked by one public
controversy after another -- from a televised chase that ended with
officer hitting suspects with their guns to crowd control at a college
football game to the Sept. 29 shooting death of Ismael Mena by the
department's SWAT team.

Mena's home had been the subject of a no-knock drug raid. Ultimately,
a special prosecutor concluded that officers hit the wrong house and
charged the officer who wrote the search warrant affidavit with felony
perjury.

In the wake of that controversy, Sanchez left for a conference in
Hawaii. But after news reports, Webb summoned him home and fired him
on Feb. 8.

Officially, he allowed Sanchez to retire as chief, effective
Tuesday.

LeRoy Lemos, one of the leaders of the Justice for Mena Committee,
praised Webb's call for changes in the department.

"I was pleasantly surprised by the comments he made," Lemos
said.

Webb initially said he'd have a new chief on board by Tuesday, but as
he considered his options he decided to take a more extensive look and
at the same time address the concerns that have been growing in his
own mind about the department. He also made it clear that he would
look outside the department -- something that hasn't been done since
the early 1960s.

Late in the day Wednesday, he called Whitman.

Whitman, 44, was on his way to his son's basketball practice when he
was summoned to Webb's office for a brief meeting.

Asked if he was interested in keeping the job on a permanent basis,
Whitman said, "I haven't made a decision on that."

Webb said he would not rush his decision about the next
step.

Instead, he wants to take the time to listen to people in the
department and the city.

The high-profile incidents have tarnished the department's image, Webb
said, but he does not ascribe to the belief that Denver's cops are out
of control.

"But," he said, "there are clear signs of deteriorating morale as well
as service and performance, and that's why we have chosen to address
these problems and issues now -- before they get worse."

Reaction to Webb's move was welcomed by City Councilman Ed Thomas, a
former cop, and Denver detective John Wyckoff, an official in the
police union.

"I think Whitman is a good guy," Thomas said. "He's been real
responsive to the community and real responsive to the City Council,
and you can't ask for more than that."

Now, he said, it's time to let the process work for a
while.

"After all the turmoil over the last three weeks, give the mayor a
chance to do his job," Thomas said. "Let's get out from underneath
this for awhile."

Wyckoff said members of the Police Protective Association met with
Webb more than a week ago to talk about the organization's hopes for
the next step in the process.

"We have some concerns and the mayor was very sympathetic with our
concerns and convinced the PPA board that there are going to be some
changes and we welcome some of those changes," Wyckoff said.

The group can work with Whitman, he said. And when it's time to name a
permanent chief, Wyckoff made it clear the union wants Webb to stay
within the department, even if Whitman isn't that choice.

"We believe the mayor should appoint within the department," Wyckoff
said. "We believe there are plenty of good candidates at the command
level ranks.

"We think it's very important for the morale of the agency to appoint
a commander from within."