Denver is tapping its annual emergency savings account to pay for more legal settlements than the city initially predicted during budget season — many stemming from Denver police excessive force and civil rights cases from the summer of 2020.
Emergency Funds Depleted
Denver City Council approved the transfer of $3 million from Denver’s contingency funds to its legal settlement funds Monday night. The city is set to exhaust the $2 million that was originally allocated. Law enforcement settlements come from the general fund, not the public safety budget.
“This is money we could have used for any other purpose,” Councilmember Shontel Lewis said at the meeting. “It represents a missed opportunity.”
The $34.4 million contingency fund has been far below recommended levels in recent years, and Mayor Mike Johnston has not refilled it to the recommended 15% of the overall budget, though he has said that’s a top priority.
After this transfer of funds and others, the city’s emergency savings account will be down to $30,475,962. The city council has already paid $1.28 million in settlements and has approved another $2.9 million payout this year.
The timeline on legal cases can be unpredictable. “The need for a supplemental this year is driven by the timing and volume of cases that were resolved during this period,” wrote City Attorney’s Office spokesperson Melissa Sisneros.
Original reporting: Denverite — read the source article.
