Public Money Private Doubts

This money could certainly be better spent on prevention and intervention instead...

A plan to partially fund a gang task force in the Denver district attorney's office with private donations was met with skepticism Wednesday from City Council members who worried about "selective prosecution."

The concern came as the city's Finance Committee met to discuss spending about $225,000 this year for a four-person team focusing on gangs. As part of the deal, Mayor John Hickenlooper and District Attorney Mitch Morrissey have negotiated for a private source to donate as much as $150,000 of the $425,000 needed over the next 18 months.

The mayor's administration has refused to name the source.

Council members said they worried about the possible conflict of interest where the district attorney's office would have to prosecute someone that has given them money, or worse, that a prosecutor would decide not to pursue a case against a donor.

"It does concern me that you have a law enforcement function that could be dependent on private sources," Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said.

"Selective law enforcement would be the worst thing the city could do. We just want to assure people that that never, ever happens."

Liza Willis, a chief deputy in Morrissey's office, said the private funding would come from a nonprofit organization.