Pueblo activists push for police accountabIlity

Community activists continue to push for a citizens’ review board of the Pueblo Police Department. The Pueblo Human Relations Commission held a meeting Thursday night to talk with community members about their interactions with police officers. The shared sentiment was whether officers can be trusted.

During the meeting, panelists cited a recent example of members of the American Indian Movement chasing down a man who they believed had sexually assaulted a child. The group didn’t feel officers were doing their job so they decided to patrol Pueblo’s east side. DNA evidence later cleared the man.

By far, the loudest voice at the meeting was Timothy McGettigan’s. In April, he chased a man accused of sexually assaulting a child. That day, police gave the suspect a ticket and let him go. It wasn’t until the following day that police arrested him. McGettigan said that event illustrated that a review board is needed, though he said it’s falling on deaf ears.

“What I’ve encountered is open hostility from police to the very idea that we would even discuss community-police relations and more police accountability,” McGettigan said.

Thursday’s meeting was geared for community members. There will be another meeting this year for police officers.

The Human Relations Commission said it has not taken a public position on whether the city should adopt a review board.