Police using $240,000 grant to battle violent extremism

The Denver Police Department is using a $240,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to counter violent extremism from sources ranging from animal rights to white supremacy.

“What’s exciting is we’re doing things in our community we haven’t done before,” said Denver Police Lt. Robert Wycoff. “With this grant, we’re trying to focus on our diverse communities and having positive outreach in those communities that have distrust. We’re offering them ways they can protect themselves from violent extremism.”

Part of the grant money, which was awarded last year, was used to hire Nadeen Ibrahim and Leslie Mongin to implement the program within the community.

“We are able to go into communities where we’ve had not so much luck in the past and get a foot in the door with these folks,” Wycoff said. “They pave the way for police to come in from behind and have positive community outreach, with all of our community outreach officers being led by these two ladies.”

Mongin said the grant will cover all forms of violent extremism. Law enforcement officers are being trained to spot signs of radicalization so they can recognize extremists such as sovereign citizens or understand what mobilization for a militia movement might look like.

When officers are able to see someone potentially heading down an extremist path, they hope to prevent that from happening.

Denver police plan to train 250 area officers in the next year.

Law enforcement officers also will be taught about the diverse communities they serve, Mongin said.

“It’s giving folks background and cultural competency on who our neighbors are,” she said.

In that same vein, the grant will support a partnership between the police department and the Denver Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, creating semi-annual “newcomer academies” for the immigrant and refugee population. The sessions, with translators, will be offered so refugees and immigrants can learn more about available community resources.

The Denver Police Department will participate with the city’s immigrant and refugee service providers in World Refugee Day on June 20.

“We want the community to really know the police officers in their district prior to a 911 call,” Wycoff said.