Mayors of Colorado’s three largest cities address state leaders, urging a focus on public safety and juvenile crime

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – The mayors of Colorado's three largest cities – Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston – are sharing an open letter to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other state lawmakers as the 2025 legislative session begins, urging a focus on public safety, juvenile crime and housing concerns.

In the Jan. 9 letter, published the same day Gov. Polis delivered his 2025 State of the State address, the mayors stressed the importance of cooperation between state and city leaders in protecting and improving the quality of life for Coloradoans.

The letter shared three main focal points:

Juvenile crime

According to the mayors, Colorado Springs, Denver and Aurora have all seen a higher frequency of juvenile offenders committing serious crimes in the past year. The offenses are often violent in nature, such as aggravated assault, gun violence and gang violence.

Here in Colorado Springs, multiple juveniles have been arrested in connection to a pattern of over 45 smash-and-grab burglaries in 2024 alone, impacting local pawn, gun and vape shops.

The mayors say this rise in juvenile crime rates is exacerbated by both a lack of funding and a cap on the number of juvenile detention beds. Reduction in bed space has meant that violent youth offenders are often released, based on who has committed the least violent offense.

Gov. Polis’s proposed budget includes investing $7.6 million to increase the bed cap for youth detention and provide more services for at-risk youth. The mayors said they are in support of this proposal.

RELATED: Governor Polis discusses resources to lower youth crime in 2025 State of the State address

"By increasing bed spaces, we can ensure youth are removed from situations that may cause additional harm and instead connect them to social services and programs to help, thereby decreasing the rate of re-offending," the letter reads in part.

Construction defect legislation

The mayors addressed the statewide issue of housing attainability, particularly in large cities.

In the letter, the mayors said that "politically motivated" construction defect legislation was partly behind the issue, and that it has "eviscerated any ability for the building industry to build condominiums, which are a prime entry point for home ownership."

"It is time to implement reasonable legislation that will provide builders with the right to cure, thereby protecting both buyers and sellers and returning this vital housing option to our residents," the letter reads.

Safe Cities

In his State of the State address on Thursday, Gov. Polis emphasized his commitment to continue cracking down on crime, with the goal of making Colorado one of the top ten safest states. 

In their letter, the three mayors commended these efforts, saying they looked forward to collaborating with the governor in 2025.

However, they also urged state policymakers to ensure that municipalities retain "sufficient flexibility to combat crime."

"Cities must retain the ability to implement solutions that are responsive to community concerns and assign appropriate sentences when crimes are committed," the mayors said in the joint letter. "It is only through continued cooperation between state and local governments that we will sustain and build upon the progress already achieved."

While the bills were not specifically cited in the letters, the mayors are likely referring to a proposal backed by some state Democrats that would prohibit local courts from imposing more severe sentences than state courts for the same crimes.