Police officer’s record does not reflect Boulder’s values

The NAACP Boulder County is calling for Boulder Deputy Chief Stephen Redfearn to resign. Contrary to the City Manager’s published statement that “NAACP is misrepresenting the facts,” the “facts” speak for themselves:

According to Redfearn’s testimony, he changed the police log for Elijah Mcclain from “suspicious person” to “assault on a police officer,” apparently declining at the time to investigate or review bodycam footage. Redfearn said his intent was not to figure out what happened at the time of the incident, but instead on how to move forward. In other words, Redfearn immediately took steps to manage the critical incident by changing the log with an unsubstantiated claim of “assault on an officer,” offering a classification that, as a seasoned officer, could be used to justify the officers’ actions.

A civil suit by plaintiffs from the violin vigil, “Aurora Police Department Defendants Used Excessive Force, And Violated Plaintiff Class Members’ Rights Under The United States And Colorado Constitutions,” claims: “Defendant Commander Stephen Redfearn oversaw and directed Defendants who pushed Plaintiffs off the Great Lawn. Defendant Redfearn used and ordered the use of force to do so. Defendant Redfearn made the announcement that the peaceful gathering was a so-called ‘unlawful assembly’ despite knowing there was no valid legal basis to do so, without adequate time for Plaintiff Class Members to comply, and without leaving room for safe egress.”

It continues: “Defendant Redfearn ordered a group of Defendants to throw smoke cannisters and other chemical agents indiscriminately into the crowd and did nothing to stop those under his command from using force. Defendant Redfearn also used force himself including deploying a pepper foam fogger at Plaintiff Class Members. He took these actions despite knowing that Plaintiff Class Members posed no threat, had committed no crime, were not inciting imminent lawless action, were not fleeing, and were engaged in a peaceful, lawful protest at a public forum.”

The City of Boulder has said that Redfearn was dismissed from this civil suit before it was settled, but the reality is that all officers, including Redfearn, were dismissed at the same time on the day of the settlement.

Redfearn’s employment history includes a 22-year tenure (promoted in 2020) with the Aurora Police Department (APD), a department in which a Black person has a 3.9 times greater chance of being killed by police than a white person.

In 2020, seasoned civil rights attorney Mari Newman said, “This is the way Aurora, Colorado, has been doing business for decades. … What we have seen… is that Aurora is brutal and racist and will not take accountability for its conduct.” Regarding the violent treatment of vigil attendees, Newman responds, “Aurora was absolutely on notice that its conduct was illegal, and yet it couldn’t resist.”

Redfearn’s claim that as nightshift duty captain he simply followed protocol by changing the log report to “assault on an officer” is not benign. Redfearn’s immediate actions reveal an apparent allegiance to the blue wall of silence over commitment to justice. If there had been no outcry from the public, heard by the governor and acted upon by the attorney general, there likely would have been no further exploration into Mcclain’s death.

How does one explain Redfearn overseeing an attack on a memorial vigil with potential foreknowledge of APD’S involvement in Mcclain’s death?

How does one explain Redfearn’s choice to shoot and injure a Black man, out of his jurisdiction — in Denver — when other Denver officers were on the scene and did not shoot? What do Redfearn’s actions say about his philosophy of policing and/or public safety?

Redfearn was foisted on Boulder without transparency, apparently ignoring his career with one of the state’s most egregious police departments. In our view, Redfearn serves without taking accountability for his actions or showing remorse for a host of excessive force incidents occurring during or under his tenure. His testimony for the prosecution (under subpoena), does not redeem him. Redfearn’s policing history with the APD suggests that he is aggressive, willing to exact brutality on community members and, at best, capable of grossly inaccurate reporting, and, at worst, will choose an incident classification potentially allowing for the exoneration of guilty officers. Public accounts of Redfearn’s policing methodology are the antithesis of “reimagined” policing — they are untrustworthy, dangerous and a scourge on public safety.

The facts speak volumes. Redfearn’s record does not reflect Boulder values or the values of NAACP Boulder County, therefore we demand his resignation. We wish to truly thrive together, in an atmosphere of trust, dignity, respect and concern for all.

Annett James is the president of NAACP Boulder County. Jude Landsman is the vice president of NAACP Boulder County. The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America.