Well, we are headed into fall! Thank goodness. We should get a break from the oppressive heat that we have experienced this summer. Make sure you get out and enjoy comfortable day time temperatures, cooler nights, and turning foliage.
Downtown Denver National Night Out 2026. Thanks to everyone who attended our Fourth Annual Downtown Denver National Night Out honoring our First Responders. We had an amazing event with over 700 attendees this year! Not only did we welcome downtown residents and local visitors, but we also had visitors stop by from Macedonia, India, and Chicago! Thanks again to our sponsors, volunteers, and, of course, our emcee Michael Spencer with CBS Colorado. We would not be able to host this event without you! Rob Squire put together a great picture college. Make sure to check it out on our website.
VEO Scooter Technology Used to Prevent Road Takeover. You probably read about the recent illegal street takeover that occurred at the intersection of Broadway and Mississippi with cars, people, and fireworks. Well, another illegal street takeover was planned near downtown, but, with VEO’s help, it was thwarted. A social media post called for people to bring ATVs, personal scooters, and VEO scooters for the takeover. The Denver Police Department contacted VEO which, in turn, sent personnel to the area to remove all VEO scooters and used its geofencing technology to prevent any VEO scooters from operating at or near the area. Thanks to DPD and VEO for preventing what could have been a very dangerous situation.
On another note, Denver is the first city in North America to have VEO trikes, three-wheeled vehicles with baskets that can hold items like groceries or a suitcase. Approximately 50 trikes were deployed in the Union Station area.
Denver Police Department Violence Suppression Action Plan. Overall crime is down in Denver. However, there are a few categories which have increased. One of the most serious is the increase in the number of homicides. Through July 1st, 2026, homicides increased by 36.8% compared to the same period last year. In response, the Denver Police Department announced a plan to counter that uptick with the Violence Suppression Action Plan. The plan has five components:
- Violence Response Team – comprised of a sergeant and four police officers who work overnight hours throughout all police districts. The team conducts proactive, intelligence-led police work directly connected to recent shootings, anticipated retaliation, and other immediate threats.
- Place Network Investigation Expansion – a proven concept, the PNI model identifies networks and relatively small areas of concern for law enforcement to focus. Based on its success, each police district will receive 30 hours of PNI overtime per month. The expansion will allow PNI teams to expand their scope in investigating people, groups, vehicles, firearms, and circumstances associated with violence.
- Licensing and Regulatory Action Enhancement – the Denver Police Department will work with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection to increase assessments of licensed establishments repeatedly associated with shootings, assaults, weapons violation, and chronic disorder.
- Illegal Firearm Public Awareness Campaign – an awareness campaign will be launched in the coming weeks/months to educate community members about the consequences of illegal firearm use and possession. So far this year, 1,200 illegally obtained guns have been seized.
- Support from City Agencies and Community Partners in the Violence Suppression Council – DPD will join partners to review recent homicides and non-fatal shootings, identify recurring people, groups, locations and conditions connected to violence, and assign specific interventions to the agency that is best equipped to address them.
Department of Safety Director, Al Gardner, stated, “Gun violence has taken too much from this city this year. The officers and professional staff who contributed to, built, and will carry out this violence suppression action plan are making a promise to Denver that we will not accept violence as the norm. The work of the Denver Police Department and Chief Thomas continues to be focused, data-driven and it’s making the city safer.”
Now, have some fun doing these Upper Downtown Activities: If you haven’t gotten a chance yet, make sure to stroll down 15th Street to check out the very colorful, large-scale mural designed by local Artist Olive Moya on the Denver Pavilions. Also, 16Live is the Vibe is a silent disco happening on Glenarm Plaza on select Thursdays through October 15th from 5-9 p.m. Take advantage of the Common Consumption Area and dance the night away under the Quaking Gold Skynet art installation. Use this Downtown Denver Partnership link to reserve your head seat. https://www.downtowndenver.com/16live . Finally, how about trying out your artistic skills by lighting up the Clocktower. Danny Newman, treasurer of Historic Denver, developed an app that, for a $10 donation, allows you to control the lights on the Clock Tower for five minutes. All proceeds go to Historic Denver. You can control the lights from your phone by visiting Clocktower Colors.
Have a wonderful Labor Day! I will talk to you again in October.
Lisa L. Pope
President
Thumbnail attribution: Leo Marce
