Pueblo code enforcement officer’s derogatory comment about gay man under investigation

WARNING: This article contains language that some readers may find offensive.

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Pueblo Police Department is launching an investigation into the words uttered by two code enforcement officers while they were on duty on July 25, 2023.

Two code enforcement officers were leaving a code enforcement complaint about litter and weeds on Pueblo's east side when their body-worn camera remained on in their unmarked vehicle.

As they were driving away, one officer pointed out another alleged code violation as they were driving through the east side, to which the other officer responded, "A bunch of Mexicans."

A minute later in the body-worn camera video, one officer remarks that he "would have had 12 today," referring to tickets to write, but that he couldn't because of this "bull**** with this cocksucker."

That statement came mere minutes after leaving the property of Frank Guerrero along East 8th St.

Guerrero is a gay man who believes that the use of the term "cocksucker" was directed at him in a derogatory way.

"He's making direct reference to me when just minutes before he was speaking to me and my husband. I've been married for 10 years and I didn't appreciate his homophobic slur that he made directed at me," Guerrero said.

Guerrero had been involved in a long-time dispute between him and his neighbors over alleged code violations including, weeds, litter, and claims that he was living in his camper parked in his backyard. This was the reason the two code enforcement officers were near his property.

"We had what seemed like a normal conversation between us. After that, they left. And then I proceeded to follow the steps in court and plead innocent to their ticket," Guerrero said.

Little did he know that his attorney, Shawn Conti, would receive the body camera video with the statements from the officers as a part of the discovery process in municipal court.

"It's our belief that the use of the term cocksucker was intentional," Conti said. "He's doing what he's supposed to do. You would expect them to do the same thing. You should never call anybody a cocksucker. You should never say a bunch of Mexicans."

After KRDO13 Investigates presented the City of Pueblo and the Pueblo Police Department with the body camera video, they issued the following statement:

“The City of Pueblo is investigating the incident. The City has a firm non-discrimination policy and does not tolerate discrimination in any form.”

Sgt. Franklyn Ortega, Pueblo Police

That investigation will now be carried out by the Pueblo Police Department as the code enforcement division is under the prevue of the police department.

Guerrero said he wants to see two things happen: the two code enforcement officers be removed from the east side of Pueblo and be further trained on the usage of the aforementioned words.

"If you're going to come at me in the name of the law, then at least do enough to have respect for your job, respect your position, and most importantly, respect those people that you're dealing with," Guerrero said. "Gay, straight, bisexual, bipolar. It doesn't matter. You respect them. And I wasn't given that respect that day."

Guerrero says code enforcement is expected to be back at his property on January 11. He hopes the two original officers are not the code enforcement officers assigned to his case any longer.

"They have no business representing the people that they refer to as cocksuckers and Mexicans. I am a married gay male and he can call me what he wishes. However, there are a bunch of Mexicans on the east side and this entire city is filled with a bunch of Mexicans, as Vasquez so candidly puts it," Guerrero said.