A Letter to Golden from Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick:
To our Golden Community,
Over the course of the last several days I have been asked by many, as the City of Golden Police Chief, my thoughts on the death of Mr. George Floyd while being taken into custody by officers of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Honestly, it feels like my heart has been torn to pieces and is broken. Broken for the senseless and unexplainable loss of Mr. Floyd’s life, broken for the unimaginable pain and suffering that Mr. Floyd’s family and friends will endure for the rest of their lives, broken for the terrible divide that is ripping apart the fabric of our nation, broken due to the continuing and ongoing violence that is occurring throughout the country and broken for the loss of faith in our police officers who work tirelessly to build trust among you, the public we serve.
I have been in policing for a very long time and the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Floyd are deeply disturbing to me. There is no reasonable or rational explanation for what occurred.
Let me be clear. What I saw in the video of the last minutes of Mr. Floyd’s life was repulsive, appalling and unconscionable.
It goes against everything I believe in; the sanctity of life, the dignity of the human spirit, and our responsibility as humans, but most particularly as police officers, to treat all people with respect.
I believe that each of us is responsible and accountable for our actions as well as for our failure to act. Therefore, it is my belief that those officers must be held to account in the criminal justice system for their behaviors. Behaviors which go against all that we, as police officers, stand for.
I share in the grief that is being experienced as a result of Mr. Floyd’s death. And I know there is a path forward. It continues with our willingness to listen, learn, dialog and connect with those we serve.
All organizations have a culture that shapes the behaviors of its members and its members shape the culture of the organization. This department of ours strives every day to create a culture of inclusiveness, community and respect.
I take great pride in being your police chief and leading the women and men of the Golden Police Department. We have amazing individuals working here. They are highly competent, committed, motivated and dedicated people who endeavor to give their best to you, our Golden community, every day. They believe in our core values of teamwork, integrity, excellence, personal responsibility and professionalism. And they believe in the right of the people to peacefully protest.
Their jobs are not easy and yet they seek, always, to try and do the right thing for the right reason. They have good hearts and good minds. No, we are not perfect, but I will tell you that our folks are as good as you will ever find anywhere. I know that through all that we are facing they will continue to provide high quality and honorable service to all they encounter.
I hope that you are as proud of them and the work they do as I am.
Respectfully,
Bill Kilpatrick
Chief of Police
MISSION
Our mission is to partner with the community to solve problems, preserve the peace, enforce the law and protect life and property.
VISION
We strive to provide great service through technical excellence, leadership development and creating an enjoyable work environment.
CORE VALUES
Team Work
Integrity
Excellence
Personal Responsibility
Professionalism
To serve our community effectively, our focus is as follows:
- Protecting life and property
- Reducing crime and the fear of crime
- Enforcing the laws and arresting criminals
- Enhancing citizen and police relationships
The men and women of the Golden Police Department are extremely proud of the work they perform in service of the citizens of Golden. The department is committed to the ideas of community service, leadership, technical excellence, and creating and maintaining a positive work environment.
We take pride in our ability to work with all segments of the community. Problem solving and our open communication policy with the public remain a major component of our service commitment.
Report a complaint or compliment the Police Department
Sexually Violent Predator Information
The Golden Police Department is releasing the following information pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 16-13-901 through 16-13-905, which authorizes law enforcement agencies to inform the public of a sex offender’s relocation when the offender has been determined to be a Sexually Violent Predator. The purpose of this notification is to enhance public safety and protection.
Below is information available for download about sexual offenders and public safety.
Community Crime Map
ICE Victim Notification Program
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Victim Notification Program allows eligible victims and witnesses to obtain reliable and timely information regarding a criminal alien’s release from custody. To be notified, victims and witnesses must first register with the agency.
Please visit www.ice.gov/victim-notification to register, and learn more about the program.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA)
The Golden Police Department has achieved accreditation with CALEA, following a rigorous application and assessment process:
- CALEA Accreditation requires an agency to develop a comprehensive, well thought out, uniform set of written directives. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to personnel.
- CALEA Accreditation standards provide the necessary reports and analyses a CEO needs to make fact-based, informed management decisions.
- CALEA Accreditation requires a preparedness program be put in place—so an agency is ready to address natural or man-made unusual occurrences.
- CALEA Accreditation is a means for developing or improving upon an agency’s relationship with the community.
- CALEA Accreditation strengthens an agency’s accountability, both within the agency and the community, through a continuum of standards that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities.
- Being CALEA Accredited can limit an agency’s liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for law enforcement have been met, as verified by a team of independent outside CALEA-trained assessors.
- CALEA Accreditation facilitates an agency’s pursuit of professional excellence.
Message from the Chief
It is my honor to serve as the Chief of Police for the City of Golden. The Golden Police Department is proud to be an internationally accredited police department.
The Golden Police Department is committed to the community policing philosophy. We believe in working in collaboration with residents to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life in our city.
Much has changed in the history of the city and the police department over the years, but what has not changed in 150 years of service is our commitment as an organization to provide the best possible service to the community.
I invite you to tour our pages, and welcome any comments.
Thank you,
William Kilpatrick
Chief of Police
