GOP head seeks police report on Ritter safety concern

By Karen E. Crummy, The Denver Post, November 30, 2009

Colorado GOP chair Dick Wadhams Tuesday asked Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman to address whether his department was aware of a safety threat against Bill Ritter during his 2006 run for governor, and if so, why there is no "official record" of the department's response.

In a letter to Whitman, Wadhams said he admires the chief's "professionalism and leadership," and believes Whitman has been put in a very "uncomfortable and unfair position" by Colorado U.S. Attorney nominee Stephanie Villafuerte, Gov. Ritter and the Denver District Attorney's office.

"But the public deserves a clear answer from you and your department," Wadhams wrote. "Colorado awaits your response."

Whitman's office could not be immediately reached for comment on Wadham's request.

Villafuerte, Ritter and First Assistant DA Chuck Lepley have said that conversations they had among each other during the gubernatorial campaign were likely about a public security or safety concern to Ritter, not about accessing a restricted federal database to run a check on Carlos Estrada-Medina, a criminal and illegal immigrant whose history was used in a campaign ad attacking Ritter, the former DA.

Lepley said his "first call" was to Whitman and that he "probably" spoke to the deputy chief and three or four division chiefs.

No police report was generated, nor was any other paperwork about a threat to the candidate created by the police, according to the Denver Police Department.

Whitman has declined to say whether he spoke to Lepley about the matter, whether the department used any resources in responding to the threat, and if it would be unusual to have senior supervisors involved in a case, along with police resources, without a report or other documentation.

Wadhams told Whitman in his letter that he believes Ritter, Villafuerte and the DA's office "unfairly cast a political shadow over you and your department that could sully your well deserved reputation."

Without any paperwork, there are few details about the threat to Ritter. Lepley described him as a "Romanian" who went to Ritter's campaign headquarters to see the candidate. Additionally, Lepley said the man bought a handgun in 2001 and had stalked a "prior mayor."

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