Denver’s Citizen Oversight Board announced two finalists to lead the city’s watchdog office for investigations of Denver’s safety officers, the Office of the Independent Monitor.

A search committee responsible for screening and interviewing applicants has chosen Lisabeth Castle, a criminal defense attorney and former public defender, and Mary Opler, who does civilian oversight for the Sacramento Office of Public Safety Accountability.

The Office of the Independent Monitor has been without a permanent head since former monitor Nick Mitchell stepped down two years ago to oversee a consent decree over constitutional violations in Los Angeles County’s jail system. The Citizen Oversight Board announced three different finalists earlier this year, but chose not to hire any of them because there was not a consensus in public support for any of the candidates.

Denver’s Citizen Oversight Board declines to hire from named independent monitor finalists

The monitor’s office serves as a watchdog for investigations of Denver’s safety officers, including shootings, in-custody deaths and inquiries that turn into criminal investigations. The office also makes recommendations about discipline and policy to the manager of safety, and monitors investigations of citizen complaints about safety officer misconduct.

In Sacramento, Opler monitors internal misconduct investigations for the city’s police and fire departments. She formerly worked in the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Washington State and as a San Francisco police officer.

Castle spent 12 years in the Colorado state public defender’s office after law school and has had a private criminal defense law firm, Castle & Castle, since 2000.

There will be two virtual public forums with the finalists. One will take place on Nov. 29 at 6 p.m.

The second will take place virtually at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30. Participants can join here: https://denvergov-org.zoom.us/j/89011940617

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the start times of the public forums. They will each take place at 6 p.m. on Nov. 29 and 30.

Finalists announced for Denver’s next independent monitor