BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Law enforcement agencies in Boulder and Summit counties over the last week wrote open letters to their communities, promising to work toward social justice and calling to an end for discriminatory policing.
"We have heard the words of the protesters," the letter from Boulder County officials read. "Black lives matter. That is true in Boulder County and everywhere in the world. Enough is enough. There is no room for any law enforcement professional who is biased against any group of people to be a part of our profession."
The letter was signed by leaders from the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the Boulder District Attorney's Office, and police departments in Boulder, Erie, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Nederland and the University of Colorado Boulder.
In Summit County, law enforcement leaders wrote their letter "to reinforce who we are and what we believe."
"Your Summit County law enforcement professionals fundamentally believe that we must police our community from a position of trust and mutual respect," the letter raid. "We believe that we must continually earn that trust and respect through each and every interaction. We recognize that trust is built over time but can be lost in an instant. We believe in constitutional safeguards that protect you from any misuse of the authority you grant to us. We believe in your right to peaceably assemble, to protest and to be heard whether your voice is focused on issues elsewhere or in our own backyard."
Leaders from the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the Colorado State Patrol and police departments from Breckenridge, Blue River, Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne signed the letter.
The Summit County letter addressed the county's Latino immigrant community, recognizing the "undeniable way they contribute to our county."
"We know these are difficult times and many of you may hesitate to trust our profession," the letter said. "However, we want to reassure you that we have not lost sight of what it means to serve our entire community impartially, without favor or malice. We are here for you and remain committed to rebuilding any trust that has been lost."