Colorado Politics

Denver Police say downtown a ‘very safe environment’ ahead of All-Star Game

Days after authorities arrested four people who allegedly had more than a dozen guns in a hotel near Coors Field, Denver Police stressed that downtown is “a very safe environment” ahead of the All-Star Game on Tuesday and that no “high-level threats” have been identified over the past three months.

Joe Montoya, a division chief with the agency, told reporters that police and federal agencies were monitoring for threats but none had been identified. He wouldn’t discuss the Friday arrests, which came after a maid at the Maven Hotel discovered several firearms in a hotel room. Police say they searched two hotel rooms and found more than a dozen guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, drugs and money.

In a statement, the FBI said over the weekend that there’s “no reason to believe” that the four people arrested were “connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game.” 

Montoya said city officials and law enforcement had roughly 13 weeks to plan for the All-Star Game, which was moved by Major League Baseball to Denver and away from Atlanta after lawmakers there passed more restrictive voting laws. 

Though he declined to say how many officers would provide security for the game and downtown neighborhoods this week, Montoya said the agency had “adequate staffing” to address threats. He said the police plans didn’t change changed in the wake of Friday’s arrests. 

“It’s a very safe environment to go downtown,” Montoya said, adding that police had their “finger on the pulse.”

MLB’s decision to move the event to Denver from Atlanta came in response to new voting laws that critics decried as restrictive. Montoya said there’s been no “political activity” in the lead up to the game but, thanks to mass protests over the past year, Denver Police are trained for protests.

“The messaging to our officers has been: ‘This is a fun event,'” he said. “This is an event where people are coming in. We’ve been in lockdown for a year, and people are able to come out and enjoy the sun, enjoy really nice events, and they’re happy to be out. Let’s engage with them, let’s be friendly, this is an opportunity to really be an ambassador for the city, as well as a protector.” 

This armored police vehicle sits outside a Public Storage building at 21st and Blake Streets. 
Linda Shapley, Colorado Politics
Armored police vehicles can be seen parked on two sides of the Public Storage building on 21st and Blake streets outside of Coors Field on Monday. 
Linda Shapley, Colorado Politics
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