Lisabeth Pérez Citadel determined to change into a lawyer within the ninth grade after studying “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Citadel grew up within the initiatives within the South Bronx of New York Metropolis because the youngest baby of Cuban immigrants. Her academics and older siblings had been vocal about civil rights.
“I used to be raised in a poor neighborhood of individuals standing up for his or her rights,” she stated. “So once I learn ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ I simply knew that’s how I needed to make a distinction.”
After graduating from the College of Denver’s Sturm Faculty of Regulation, Citadel spent the following three a long time representing individuals charged with crimes as a public defender after which in non-public observe. When Denver wanted a brand new prime legislation enforcement watchdog, she noticed a possibility to mix her ardour for civil and human rights with neighborhood work.
“It’s my dream job,” she stated.
Citadel turned Denver’s unbiased monitor in January, filling a place that had been vacant for 2 years as the town’s citizen oversight board looked for the appropriate candidate.
The Workplace of the Impartial Monitor is a civilian company outdoors of the Division of Public Security that oversees police and sheriff disciplinary issues, makes legislation enforcement coverage suggestions and conducts large-scale investigations — like its inquiry into how Denver police dealt with the 2020 racial justice protests.
“I actually see the Workplace of the Impartial Monitor as part of the town that bridges the hole between the neighborhood and legislation enforcement,” she stated.
Citadel took the place forward of the 2023 mayoral election, which might shake up Denver’s public security management. The subsequent mayor might appoint a brand new director of public security, police chief and sheriff. Citadel’s job is secure, nevertheless. Denver voters in 2021 gave the Citizen Oversight Board the facility to rent and fireplace the monitor as a substitute of the mayor.
“Citadel brings together with her a wealth of expertise practising legislation and managing a legislation agency, deep ties in our neighborhood and an excellent repute for constructing belief and respect,” the Citizen Oversight Board stated in a press release.
Citadel remains to be studying the ropes at her new job — she joked that she now is aware of the place the microwave is — however already is aware of she is going to concentrate on higher involving Denverites within the workplace’s oversight and reform roles. The large protests in Denver after George Floyd’s homicide in 2020 proved that there’s an urge for food locally to enhance legislation enforcement, she stated. Citadel doesn’t see her workplace as an advocacy group however as a bridge between Denverites and the individuals they pay to maintain them secure.
Citadel believes that relationships between Denver’s legislation enforcement and neighborhood members are higher now than they’ve been in recent times. She attributed that to constructive work being performed by each the neighborhood and legislation enforcement to impact change.
“Based mostly on what I’ve reviewed and what I’ve seen, the sheriff’s division, the Division of Security and the police division are listening to the neighborhood’s considerations and are making efforts to give you options to policing — which is what I actually imagine is what the neighborhood desires,” she stated.
Her a long time in felony protection taught her to have a pointy eye to scrutinize data from legislation enforcement, she stated. Her background rising up in a neighborhood of colour and an immigrant household offers her a unique lens by means of which she sees policing and neighborhood relations, she stated.
“Coming from a neighborhood of colour and being the kid of immigrants I’ve a really completely different expertise than my very own youngsters do about relationships with legislation enforcement and relationships with neighborhood,” she stated. “It makes me acknowledge that there are variations relying in your background, however that you may additionally try to make change.”
One in every of Citadel’s first duties is ensuring Denverites know her workplace exists and that they will attain out with questions or considerations, she stated.
“It’s essential for the neighborhood to see the face of the Workplace of the Impartial Monitor and for me to be engaged with the neighborhood to reply any questions they’ve,” she stated.
Citadel spent her first weeks on the job working with the outreach unit of her workplace and assembly with the police chief, sheriff, director of public security and neighborhood advocates. Now she’s working by means of a 2-inch-thick guide of laws as she learns how her workplace conducts self-discipline oversight.
It’s too quickly for her to inform if there are flaws within the metropolis’s legislation enforcement self-discipline and oversight course of, she stated.
“However there’s at all times room for enchancment,” she stated.
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