Latino leaders call for public safety changes in U.S. city

The meeting, organized by the Denver affiliate of the Colorado Latino Forum, was convened as a result of tensions sparked by recent violent incidents involving law enforcement personnel.

Denver's police chief, Robert White, and interim sheriff, Elias Diggins, were present at the meeting, along with Stephanie O'Malley, executive director of the Department of Public Safety.

However, the person that everyone expected to hear speak, District Attorney Mitch Morrissey, was not on hand, having said in an email sent to members of the CLF that he lacked the authority to discuss current public policies in Denver.

The meeting was the result of an incident that occurred in early July, when Ryan Ronquillo, who was being sought by authorities as a suspect in vehicle thefts, was gunned down by officers while unarmed inside his vehicle after leaving a friend's funeral.

Several officers tried to arrest Ronquillo, 20, but he attempted to flee, ramming his vehicle into a police patrol car.

The officers opened fire on him, firing at least 12 shots and killing Ronquillo before dozens of people who at the time were emerging from the funeral service.

Morrissey decided that no charges would be filed against the police officers involved in the incident, a move that sparked protests from Hispanic leaders and despair among the Ronquillo family.

In addition, in recent months there have been incidents where there has been a presumed excessive use of force by sheriff's deputies in Denver jails, a situation that led to the forced resignation on July 21 of Sheriff Gary Wilson and his replacement by Diggins.