He was then director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority Office of Public Safety from 1995 until 1997, when he returned to the D.C. police department as assistant chief overseeing patrol operations.
Hancock, elected in 2010, had promised during his campaign to bring new leadership to the Denver Police Department, after several complaints of excessive force, and allegations of lax discipline for those officers found to have acted improperly.
[4] During the national search, White was vetted by both PERF and Hancock concerning controversies to include a drug test that came back positive for marijuana,[5][6][7] and intervening at the scene of a traffic stop when his 21-year-old son was being detained for suspected drunk driving.
[10][11][12][13] The 3 new gun bills were passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature, and signed into law by the Democratic governor but were opposed by Republicans, the County Sheriffs of Colorado, and Second Amendment activists.
Some Denver police officers wanted to attend the Colorado Sheriff's event, in uniform, but their request was denied by Chief White.
Unidentified protesters lowered and desecrated the American flag, by leaving it lying on the ground, and left adhesive stickers with threatening messages to specific Denver officers on the granite memorial wall.
[27][28][29] Denver police officers, staged inside the lobby and viewing the vandalism, were ordered not to exit the building to prevent or intervene in the criminal activity.
This decision angered the officers viewing the desecration of the American flag and memorial for their fallen co-workers, some to the point of crying.
[33] At the conclusion of the rally, two Denver police officers replaced the desecrated flag, apparently still flying from the week before, in an impromptu ceremony.