Denver Mayor Hickenlooper hits gays You are Presumed to be gay, any thing you say and do may be used against you, you have a right to a lawyer

Denver Cops put pressure on single men in cars

February 12, 2010. Inspiration Point Park in Denver, Colorado, is an historical park with magnificent views of the city and the Rocky Mountains of the front range.

Unfortunately, if you are a single male you might want to avoid the park because you might be accused of being gay. 

Actually, depending upon where you put your hands when you relax in your ride, you might be accused of a lot more than that!  Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is asleep at the wheel when it come to police harassment, or he has changed his mind about the gay community which was instrumental in his election.  Either way, Denver cops are making Inspiration Point Park an uncomfortable place to be. 

"I was talking on my telephone" notes a long time Denver resident who prefers to remain anonymous. "I was parked in the lot up the point. I had several calls to make, was a little tired and figured it would be better to pull over rather than place other motorists in jeopardy."

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Inspiration Point Park

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Did you spot the two patrol units in the picture above?

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"There was a Jeep Cherokee which had been lifted so he was higher than any other vehicle.  He kept driving around, pulling in beside one car, gawking at the cat who was seated inside. He would pull out and then come back all over again."

Maybe Denver's finest have nothing more to do than peeping through windows. The Denver resident said he kept making his phone calls and ignoring the peeping jeep. But a few minutes later a marked Denver patrol car cruised through the lot slowly.

"When the officer passed behind my car he really slowed down" the resident said. "It was obvious he was taking my plate number. Geez, what did I do wrong? It is like saying, 'Hey, beat it, unless you want trouble!'"

"How do you tell a gay male from a straight one?"

After the patrol unit came through most of the people visiting the park left. It is like driving through a speed trap, you want to get out of the area, the resident indicated.

"The officer parked his patrol car at the end of the lot and just sat there. It was really eerie. It was like we were all being watched." 

Well visitors to the park are being watched. Signs posted around the visitor parking lot make that point clearly.

Undaunted, the Denver resident continued with his phone calls. He said he was in the middle of some important business and did not want to break his concentration by leaving. He says there are a lot of great parks in Denver, he has not had trouble in other parks. Here are a few of the better Denver Parks.

"When he came to my car he really slowed down" the resident said. "It obvious he was taking my plate number and he was trying to say, 'beat it, unless you want trouble!'"

Then, the resident indicated, a white van pulled up in the parking lot space facing him.

"It was a white van. He was looking directly into my car. You could see the back of the van was screened off through his windshield. It looked like a paddy wagon to me. Not a problem for, I had not done anything!"

Our Resident went back to his phone call. All of a sudden he noticed a bright flash from the paddy wagon.

"The guy took a picture of me!" said the Denver resident. "It was like one of those photo radar units. And All I was doing was sitting in my car making phone calls!"

Inspiration Point Park has long been known as a gay pick-up spot. However, local police pressure has eliminated the cruising activity some gay men use to find dates. Unfortunately, it also makes the park an unfriendly place for everyone else. There are a lot of great Denver parks!  Why not find a park?  Plus, there are some great Colorado State parks!
Article continued below information box

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A FEW DETAILS ABOUT INSPIRATION POINT PARK

• It is located at 50th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard in Denver, Colorado.
• There are no public restrooms, so be prepared. There is a nice forrest with trees, however!
• One clibming guide considers it a "summit", though it is in the City and County of Denver with low elevation. Do you think you can make it to the top? trails to the summit!
• Inspiration Point Park is a designated Historic Landmark.
• The 25.5-acre park is roughly the shape of a finger pointing west from Sheridan Boulevard. The panoramic view from the point is spectacular, extending along nearly 200 miles of the front range of the Rocky Mountains.
• In addition to the foot hills, the view includes the Clear Creek Valley nearly 200 feet below. A view of the city of Denver, including the downtown skyline, is visible toward the east. Read more of these details at Parents connect.
• The park is surrounded by residential development. The adjacent neighborhoods are owned by well-to-do and upper class citizens.
• There is no entrance fee.
• The park is open all year around but closes at night.
• The park came about as a result of Democratic Mayor Speer, who convinced the Denver City Council of the City Beautiful plan.City Beautiful plan

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"You don't have to be gay to be intimidated by the Denver Police" the resident said. "I am not even sure you could be from the Inspiration Point neighborhood Association."

How do you tell a gay motorist from a straight one?  No matter one's sexual orientation, if the person is not just sitting in his car or talking on the telephone then why should he or she be made to feel uncomfortable?

These are questions that must be answered by the Hickenlooper administration. The patrol officers are just following orders. What is it costing tax payers for two patrol units, presumably with two officers in them, an undercover unit, likely the guy in the jeep, and the fellow driving the paddy wagon? Could these resources be better used to deter crime like drug dealing?

"I have noticed many officers are riding alone these days." our citizen noted.

 "Why not take a couple of these guys off of crotch watching and let the officers team up for their own safety?" 

Do the actions of the Denver Police signal a change of a liberal policy towards gays, or is this hypocrasy?  Hickenlooper rocks! Well except for the gay squad. 

"Police harassment starts at the top level" said the resident. "Officers get their marching orders from the top." the resident said.

Of course, we should not blame the problem on the officers.  Most would rather do something more interesting than watching guys in cars.  When I ask officers what gives them the most sense of satisfaction most tell me it is taking guys off of the street who sell drugs to kids.  

"Best keep your reading and leisure activities to Starbuck's, they don't use paddy wagons!"

Denver Mayor Hickenlooper's Police Department (dpd) is intimidating men who come to Lookout Point. The message is, unless you have a wife and kids in tow, you are considered gay and looking for sex.  Police intimidation is tolerated. You may have your photograph sureptitiously taken, and your actions may be mis-understood to the point of leaving the park in cuffs. Best keep your reading and leisure activities to Starbucks, they don't use paddy wagons!