Officers are now required to watch this video outlining DPD's Start by Believing campaign and encouraged to sign an affidavit of support for its goals. In addition, sexual assault victims now have access to a free gym membership with the hope that exercise will provide them with steps forward after the trauma they've suffered.
These moves correspond with efforts by a sexual assault victim who's asked to be identified as TC to push the department in a positive direction — and while she's happy with the progress she's seen of late, TC says her mission is far from finished.
"My experiences must be a catalyst for change," she says. "My intentions have always been there to change policies and procedures and not continue doing things the way they've always been done."
Denver City Council member Sarah Parady, who's been working with TC on her various initiatives, sees the advocacy and initiatives as inspirational.
"In my life prior to council, I was an attorney who represented a lot of sexual-assault victims," Parady says. "And I've been impressed by what [TC] has been able to accomplish working with the Denver Police Department and the head of victims services at DPD, Chris Richardson. I think it's so rare for that kind of collaboration to happen. A lot of what she's doing isn't directly related to the criminal justice system itself. It's helping with people's healing. I find that very moving and pretty unique."
Nonetheless, DPD hasn't publicized the new requirement for its officers to view the Start By Believing video or the gym memberships for sexual assault victims, and shows little enthusiasm for highlighting the improvements. Neither Richardson, who's been meeting regularly with TC for months, nor any other department representative were made available for interviews with Westword on these topics. Instead, the DPD's public information team agreed only to respond to questions via email, and to do so anonymously.
"Our utmost goal is the sensitivity around a survivor of sexual assault and being extra careful not to reveal any information that [TC] has not chosen to share publicly. For this reason, the department's preference is to respond in writing, after thoughtful consideration," the PIO team says of its rationale.
This cautious approach is also understandable for other reasons, for what seems to be a feel-good story about Denver police has a darker side.
As detailed in a February 2022 Westword feature article, TC was sexually assaulted by a man she'd just met in July 2016; no charges were ever filed in the case. Afterward, she was harassed and subjected to unwanted advances by Corporal Zachery Phillips, one of the DPD officers who responded to an alert about the attack.
Zachery Phillips as seen in a Denver Police Department photo from 2018.
Denver Police Department via 9News
In the wake of the assault and Phillips's inappropriate behavior, TC reached out to the department to convince leadership to improve how it handles sexual assault reports. Among her suggestions was that she participate in the creation of training videos in which she would outline the improper way she was treated by Phillips as a way of preventing future officers from violating the rights of victims in the years ahead.
The videos didn't come to fruition under then-Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen, who resigned in 2022, but Pazen's successor, Ron Thomas, initially seemed interested in the concept. In an email to TC dated September 20, 2024, he told TC that he would run her materials, intended for recruits and current officers, past the board director for Colorado Police Officer Standards and Training (POST).
"Also," Thomas added, "I really like the idea of you filming a series of training videos that we can show our officers now and well into the future."
Over the ensuing months, TC discussed the videos with Richardson, she says, and this past spring, she met with Thomas. In a follow-up email, Thomas wrote, "Good news I can share is that all Denver Police officers were required to watch the Start By Believing training video and also review the training bulletin developed specifically for our Start by Believing commitment. Officers were required to sign both as an affirmation."
The affirmation page for the video, delivered by DPD Sergeant Mary Prestel, is accompanied by this text:
"Start by Believing" is a campaign designed to end the cycle of silence and change the way we respond to sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and child sexual abuse. When someone comes forward, they should be met with empathy and trust, instead of doubt and shame. Decades of research has shown that victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and child sexual abuse are often doubted or blamed, and these negative responses have many harmful effects. Negative responses also decrease the likelihood that victims will report the crime and reach out for help.Was the mandate to view the Start by Believing video a substitute for the videos TC wanted to make? Thomas didn't mention such a prospect in his April 4 email, but the department's public information team confirms that the videos are currently off the table:
Victims know when someone does not believe them, which undermines the ability of law enforcement to conduct an effective interview. Without a good interview, there is little chance of successfully investigating the report, and ultimately holding offenders accountable. Start by Believing reverses this dynamic. It is important to clarify that this does not necessarily mean saying the exact words, "I believe you" to victims. Instead, many law enforcement professionals use phrases like, "I'm sorry this happened to you." The exact words that are used are not as important as the fact that victims are treated with compassion and respect, and their reports are handled professionally and fairly — instead of communicating the message that they are not believed.
This is why the message of Start by Believing is so vital — outcomes will only change when survivors receive supportive responses to their disclosures. By taking the time to listen and understand a victim, officers can create a supportive environment for the victim. As an ongoing effort to support this campaign, officers are required to watch this video and are encouraged to make the pledge of support here.
"The content that [TC] suggested to be added to pre-existing trainings was shared with Colorado POST for review, and the content was not approved. DPD subsequently connected her with a non-profit," according to DPD. That nonprofit is the Blue Bench, which describes itself as an organization "committed to eliminating sexual assault and its impact through comprehensive issue advocacy, prevention, and care."
The department maintains that Blue Bench can offer TC "assistance with further developing the content, and DPD will consider any training content that comes out of that partnership and meets state standards."
In the meantime, Thomas has stopped directly communicating with TC, leaving that to Richardson. The PIO team notes that "DPD decided to establish a single point of contact to help make communication as efficient and effective as possible, while also working to provide any support she may request."
The DPD spokespersons acknowledge that "after conversations with TC, the department saw the value in having officers watch the training again." In addition, "We did take her suggestion of offering survivors of sexual assault a gym membership, and the department is looking into this as an option for survivors of sexual assault after they speak with our detectives (this is not an incentive to report, but more to create community for survivors while they work on their physical and mental health)."
The department's acceptance of the gym-membership idea is "really exciting," TC says.
"I proposed this because of how much exercise can really help with PTSD and trauma. Some victims who go through horrible sexual assaults often have to leave their jobs due to that trauma, and a lot of them don't have the extra money to pay for a gym membership."
On top of these indoor activities, TC would like the DPD to expand its services to sexual assault victims by offering them a free pass to Colorado state parks. "Getting outdoors can really help victims, too," she points out, "but a lot of them are out of work or don't have the funds to pay for these things. So I'm really trying to make that happen." She has discussed the idea with Richardson and Parady and is upbeat about the plan's chances for approval.
Parady is closely monitoring TC's efforts. "It's pretty unusual to see someone who's been so willing to stay engaged with the same institutions that caused her harm," she concedes. "She continues to be willing to try to make things better, and there's an inherent optimism in that."
Among the next items on TC's to-do list is to formalize disciplinary repercussions for officers who sign the Start by Believing affirmation and then violate its tenets; the current DPD disciplinary matrix makes no such decree. And while she's admittedly frustrated by the many roadblocks to reform, she has no intention of resting on her laurels.
"There's a lot of mistrust in the community when it comes to policing," she allows. "It's my hope that somebody at home who has been sexually assaulted will see how the DPD is now offering services to victims and is increasing accountability, and have the courage to come forward."
