Council Slams DEA Drug Enforcement Partnership as Overdose Deaths Surge

Denver City Council held an emotionally charged session Aug. 31, adopting proclamations on overdose grief, historic preservation, childhood cancer and gun safety — but the sharpest moments came when multiple council members and a leading harm reduction advocate used the dais to publicly denounce a new Denver Police-DEA enforcement operation targeting drug users. Separately, council formally opposed a proposed federal gutting of historic preservation rules, citing Denver's own destructive urban renewal past as a warning.

• Council declares Overdose Grief Day; blasts new Denver police-DEA enforcement operation as Denver overdose deaths buck the national downward trend
• Rules suspended to redirect ARPA funds to the Harm Reduction Action Center before the federal spending deadline
• Denver opposes proposed federal rewrite of Section 106 historic preservation rules that would make community consultation optional
• Council Member Flynn reads Childhood Cancer Awareness Month proclamation for the final time, urging restoration of federal research funding
• Be Smart Week proclaimed as firearm injuries remain the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens
• 2026 city settlement spending hits $4.1M, with $120,000 tied to Denver Police in the latest batch

Why it matters: Denver is moving against the national trend — overdose deaths fell across the country but rose in Colorado to more than 1,813 statewide, with Denver recording 563 deaths in 2025 alone. March and May each saw 63 drug-related deaths, the highest monthly totals in the city's history. Council used a proclamation recognizing Aug. 31 as International Overdose Grief Day to mount a sustained, public critique of the administration's enforcement approach.