[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6497038,"mediaKeyId","5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125","parentId",5491445,"title","Lakewood speakers demand independent oversight after death of Jax Graton; police chief details training and policy steps","audioSeconds",849,"startMs",1382000,"endMs",2231000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125&start=1382&end=2231","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125/thumbnail_1382000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6497038/Lakewood-City/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Lakewood-speakers-demand-independent-oversight-after-death-of-Jax-Graton-police-chief-details-training-and-policy-steps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497038-c34a03aa3095f0c64d722171b73b4075/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117407&Signature=de5DOCwlA-WN5mmGienxQN5hl0xymw7y6J87A9Ys-NPFEbDD4gMmEzbzSKhsRdtQlCSerOmu-Nvy329S227LwynqUyJjiYxSde5qGXkClhvaCWXQSIuimMf8P8X1Iensod4rioneUozNeVaYgPibgZQo~mjGy~sivKoF~bxDRE2NQJ4EAdrrOnertG02Vuw1uBKDrzXsnhz~1tDUXBdXpY22Kg55jXDfK0njsLd2ekgJsjfuR6F6BufU51mTXKXu2rsRnprTgpzq7vRLdU4dV-70eB8~6BIJCBk9kOa6QJsyDTqXLg-hf4lGYqhDWLm2~O4SAGH2zTTk-uz~TD5RVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lakewood City, CO","date","2025-07-28T23:07:48Z","article","Dozens of residents, friends and advocates asked the Lakewood City Council on July 28 to establish an independent oversight review of the investigation into the disappearance and death of Jax (Jax Queton/Graton), arguing family members and members of the transgender community were treated with disrespect and that the investigation has been mishandled.

The plea dominated the council's initial public‑comment period and carried into a second round of speakers later in the evening. Friends and family described delays in locating Graton, errors and miscommunications with police and the county coroner, and repeated incidents of dead‑naming and disrespect. “We are calling on you…support independent oversight,” said Brandy Burns Carey, a friend of Graton, at the microphone. “Jax deserved better and mama c deserves better,” she added.

Advocates pressed the council for immediate action. Z Williams, co‑director of Bread and Roses Legal Center, told the council: “We need oversight now, and it cannot be by the police. It cannot be from their oversight committee. It needs to be independent.” Several speakers repeated the same demand; chants and public displays in the chamber urged officials to take swift steps.

Lakewood Police Chief (Chief) Derek Smith — who addressed the council earlier in the meeting to follow up on a prior appearance — apologized for errors in how officers and the department had referred to Graton and outlined steps the department says it has taken or is instituting. Smith said the department has established (or is establishing) a Lakewood Police Department Community Advisory Group that will include agency members and community participants. He told the council the department revised policy language and added training materials, including an 11‑minute training video titled Respect and Reporting, and that the Kelly Loving Act has been incorporated into agency policy and training.

“I made a statement apology…we would move forward to endeavor as an agency to educate, engage, and to build cultural competency,” Smith said. He said the department had adopted policies adapted from Erie, Longmont and a national organization and had applied for technical assistance from groups including 1 Colorado and local trans‑support organizations. Smith said some of the policy work was complete and other reforms were “in play” and scheduled for rollout in coming weeks.

Those changes were not enough for many who spoke. Several callers described being misgendered or dead‑named by officers, or discouraged from contacting police. “How can a mother, a community, a group of friends, anyone trust a system that has demonstrated itself to be so repeatedly prejudiced?” Williams asked. “I can't even enter the police station of the community I live in…without being treated poorly because I am transgender.”

Speakers also cited broader harms beyond the Graton case: fear among trans residents that they will not receive respectful treatment if they report crimes, and calls for trauma‑informed responses to victims. Katrina Whitehead, a licensed professional counselor, said poor treatment of victims “intensifies so much more” the trauma they experience and urged a task force to address systemic failures.

Several speakers asked the council to create a truly independent oversight mechanism — not one controlled or selected by the police department itself — to review the investigation and make recommendations that could restore trust. Jamie Frederick, speaking for friends of Graton, said: “The deaths of trans people and especially trans women often get brushed aside by the police… We need independent oversight.”

Council members and city leadership responded at length. Multiple councilors acknowledged the depth of community anger and grief, and several said they want to ensure any review does not interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation. Councilor Dave Rhine and others said they have had private conversations with city staff and law enforcement to press for transparency. Several councilors said they supported an independent after‑action review after the criminal investigation and any prosecution are complete; others asked the city manager to explore options now for community engagement and advisory groups.

Mayor Pro Tem and other council members urged calm in the chamber and stressed the three‑minute public‑comment limit; they said the city took the concerns seriously and would pursue next steps with the city manager and police leadership. Some councilors proposed additional community roundtables and outreach to LGBTQ+ residents to gather input on oversight, training and communication.

What the city can do immediately is limited by the separation of some authorities: several speakers’ complaints involved the Jefferson County coroner and county processes rather than actions strictly within the city police department’s control. Council members said they would coordinate with county offices and update the public on steps the city itself can take.

Ending: Council members said they would pursue a mix of near‑term department reforms (training, policy changes, advisory groups) and investigate options for an independent review after the criminal process allows for external auditing. No formal ordinance or independent‑oversight body was created during the July 28 meeting; speakers asked the council to act quickly and to make any subsequent review transparent, independent and inclusive of community members with lived experience.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","07-28-2025 Lakewood City Council Meeting Video","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of residents urged Lakewood leaders to form an independent review of the investigation into the disappearance and death of Jax Graton, saying the family and transgender community were mistreated; Police Chief Derek Smith outlined internal reforms and training.","taxTitle","Lakewood City, Jefferson County, Colorado","taxId",5594,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6497019,"Council asks advisory committee to study volunteer park stewards and bike‑path volunteers",406,8771000,9177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125&start=8771&end=9177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125/thumbnail_8771000.jpg","/articles/6497019/Lakewood-City/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Council-asks-advisory-committee-to-study-volunteer-park-stewards-and-bikepath-volunteers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497019-710b685364aeea9dfe9896abbecdf065/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117407&Signature=XDuBgqHCeK8vgXkkbcRfy4JB5x6fIgP5n9np~ZBXO3PjR2DKDXNbZ8KP~hVlrp45Mn5O00cgtKB6RCBDU4DYAR4cIcuB0Cad8C3ObqLw2VePwN~MwWrf4~9bcuF14Ux29ZCcKaRpi1GtW1OiWPSCx-9yBZunUbuWUkDM0wsZyMHcUgRE7tHBE8nGK6o-EORzw8LKNyGXHarbBa-NmZ3He~0pH~HvyAJHxT0rLdsIUdTQi1YF0iKRArSGg0-ucVxvrp~79rHQpLQtyTJ94ZXJ9i56-ZnmdapElyaICvg3aaGkm-ML9kx-O3tK9iCQuglXC6PSyl0vReDuOTe0FygGHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A motion introduced by Councilor Nystrom and seconded by Councilor Isabel Cruz asked the Lakewood Advisory Commission (LAC) to research existing volunteer park‑steward and path‑steward programs used elsewhere in Colorado and to return with recommendations. The council approved the motion with 10 yes votes and no no votes; one councilor had left the meeting before the vote was recorded.

Nystrom said the goal is to build a network of volunteers who can assist with park education, promotion, light maintenance, and informal conflict‑reduction on multi‑use paths. He cited local examples of citizens already acting as informal stewards and described successful models used in state and regional parks and other municipalities.

Councilor Sinks clarified the motion was a benchmarking request — research for future consideration — not an immediate program adoption. Cruz seconded the motion, and the council instructed staff and the LAC to return with options the council could consider in a study session.

Ending: The motion passed; staff and the LAC will research models and report back to council with options and implementation considerations.","Council authorized a motion directing the Lakewood Advisory Commission to benchmark volunteer park‑steward and bike‑path steward programs used elsewhere and report back, with the intent of improving park stewardship and reducing conflicts on multi‑use paths.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6497022,"Council approves $1.27 million funding for Dry Gulch/2 Creeks Park work, Mile High Flood District IGA and several property actions",215,3489000,3704000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125&start=3489&end=3704","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125/thumbnail_3489000.jpg","/articles/6497022/Lakewood-City/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Council-approves-127-million-funding-for-Dry-Gulch2-Creeks-Park-work-Mile-High-Flood-District-IGA-and-several-property-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497022-72707d02b947af0fa11e7a139818bb2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117407&Signature=Y7epHzc1el~gsR5rA7j96ZiwMbor5cFKiD9lk-ISLht~H5AU8A4PYV8yF0e6vvbEqoRP0dpyMa4z0LaEF3r4hzv8CD3sB2hDDE9Q1V8j4uRAPKAEkNJ73m2-ewlHZrU6oaNJA7T6WV3rv6d61tFrpgtOpH9BBafouuDPti66yDNN3sdYVmNaqVzvur-eX30NA7euJjunxFujkFuOUps8c4OhsiflpGYQikeEJtMtXZhhrUlh1rZqD9TalKUlOVbRfx5iiEr~ZWIJV~kaYlPeN0YjOrb9BWznz5V6JkXfz4BtwjSndZSwRm3hg6FDCItybBWSoGZOGvbbwxvLsNDlWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lakewood City Council on July 28 approved a series of measures tied to stormwater, drainage and park improvements, including a supplemental appropriation and intergovernmental agreements with the Mile High Flood District and several property acquisition actions.

The council adopted ordinance O‑2025‑22 on second reading, authorizing a $1,270,000 supplemental appropriation to the 2025 revised annual budget. Of that total, the council record shows $870,000 to come from the city’s open‑space fund and $400,000 from the stormwater enterprise fund; the appropriation supports improvements identified in a 2023 intergovernmental agreement with the Mile High Flood District related to Dry Gulch and 2 Creeks Park.

Councilors also approved resolution R‑2025‑23 adopting an amended intergovernmental agreement with the Mile High Flood District for design and construction of drainage, channel and park improvements in Dry Gulch and 2 Creeks Park. The clerk’s record shows both measures passed on second and final reading with 11 yes votes and 0 no votes.

Separately, council approved an ordinance (O‑2025‑23) declaring the intent of the city to acquire property interests for construction of storm sewer facilities on West Colfax Avenue (to Dover Street, west of Wadsworth) and to begin negotiations, accept conveyances and, if necessary, pursue condemnation subject to further council approval.

The council also authorized acceptance of a deed from the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (doing business as Mile High Flood District) for 170 Yukon Street in Lakewood (O‑2025‑24). City staff clarified during discussion that Mile High Flood District ownership and transfer of the parcel would allow the city to maintain the property under the same inspection/maintenance cycles the city uses on other city parcels; Ray Hill, city engineer for capital projects and utilities, told council the property would be inspected at least annually and maintained as needed until potential future capital improvements are programmed.

Council discussion emphasized the long‑running planning and partnership required to assemble parcels for drainage and park projects. Councilor Isabel Cruz said the Dry Gulch/2 Creeks investment would bring a new park to a part of town with limited green space after “about 14 years of planning” and thanked staff for advancing the project.

Ending: All of the stormwater and acquisition measures were adopted unanimously (11‑0). Staff said future capital improvements on the properties would return to council for design and construction authorization and that property maintenance would follow standard city procedures until any project moved forward.","Lakewood City Council voted unanimously to approve a $1,270,000 supplemental appropriation for Dry Gulch and 2 Creeks Park work, adopt an amended intergovernmental agreement with the Mile High Flood District, and approve several property acquisitions and a deed acceptance tied to drainage and stormwater projects.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6497028,"Lakewood City Council adopts Envision Lakewood 2040 comprehensive plan after multiyear process",1550,5544000,7094000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125&start=5544&end=7094","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125/thumbnail_5544000.jpg","/articles/6497028/Lakewood-City/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Lakewood-City-Council-adopts-Envision-Lakewood-2040-comprehensive-plan-after-multiyear-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497028-c609b58084f76833938ee46d940f3761/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117407&Signature=jBCbPKt7d4LBZjPj6-UG-e7RTO002gQTVq9fiEBSYyH8dRPoS9XDPP51ukkpP~E1~NFu62ofgkXqyPsYz7NwrJs09wnm2Kv7EYVcwPxDvB6zG4aVawLfoPQD-DMfJoWBY4-qghX1pwvmsT23EeJkiEZh64pXzEDsQaQC9Bg6ZXr6vSWf00KxMkkmgb~z2gICMXuFfoVXIZT~MdlEsO-CAfhkjbxfrbiy9DXWovxTJhhkxbAprYyUV89fcBKOp2IuqOuBbjp-qZqNBkZTJvq8v2dL84soAP8754G918bCGOvAZzLxig6T02vlml0XxQdquiPUM1wg~6BQUzsURUVgSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lakewood City Council voted unanimously on July 28 to adopt Envision Lakewood 2040, the city’s updated comprehensive plan. The measure was the culmination of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year planning process that included public workshops, advisory committees and review by the planning commission, which recommended adoption earlier in 2025.

Roger Waddnall, the city’s comprehensive planning manager, and Kristi Ivanoff, senior planner and project manager for the update, presented the plan and a summary of the public‑engagement process. The plan lays out a vision statement, five guiding principles, 25 goals and about 160 strategies, and pairs those vision elements with a future land‑use map that uses nine categories to guide where different types of development and preservation should occur.

Waddnall told council the plan is a guidance document rather than zoning: “It is not zoning. It is advisory, and it sets a framework for the city for the upcoming future,” he said. Ivanoff summarized the outreach, noting open houses, surveys, pop‑ups and three council‑appointed volunteer advisory groups that advised plan content over the multi‑year process.

A public speaker asked that the vision statement also acknowledge Lakewood’s agricultural and equine heritage; Karen Shantz, who identified herself as a Ward 2 resident and longtime equine property owner, urged adding language to the vision to recognize the city’s western and equine traditions. Council members noted that the planning commission had adopted the plan and that substantial public engagement had fed into the final document.

Councilors spoke in favor of the plan during the discussion period, with several highlighting priorities the document includes — from greenhouse‑gas and vehicle‑miles‑traveled goals to strategies for crime prevention, homelessness response, and evidence‑based housing programs. Council members said they expect the plan to guide future zoning and capital decisions but emphasized that zoning and any site‑specific approvals will still be handled through separate processes.

The final vote recorded on the July 28 agenda was 11 yes, 0 no.

Ending: With adoption of Envision Lakewood 2040, staff said the plan will guide city decision‑making for the next 15 years and provide direction for subsequent zoning updates and capital planning. Councilors urged continued community engagement as zoning and implementing tools are developed.","After a two‑and‑a‑half year public process, the Lakewood City Council approved the Envision Lakewood 2040 comprehensive plan on July 28. The plan is advisory and sets vision elements, goals and a future land‑use framework to guide the city's next 15 years.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6497033,"DRCOG assessment: Lakewood needs 8,640 new housing units by 2032, majority for very‑low‑income renters",2187,2798000,4985000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125&start=2798&end=4985","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5491445-8f19d1c58b4d76de3ea392836fefd125/thumbnail_2798000.jpg","/articles/6497033/Lakewood-City/Jefferson-County/Colorado/DRCOG-assessment-Lakewood-needs-8640-new-housing-units-by-2032-majority-for-verylowincome-renters","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497033-bf2387d16b03484f50e51918901c1db9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117407&Signature=d0BjNz1Wwlxtk7GTi-yijBn5FBoNLeWpVesINUK0zCAvvH2ZoeanIvbfc-EHZF6cIpwUPa1ZhVjcN0mMtvSjJUXC-RV2NZH~STalILSBgQ2RPExndcDs4yFedbenNkKilmpxPIlLs0xCnhCHKrClzvLyUAnLUqd6vcxCiykJc-VZQTOXePOZcJaDZNicoLu88duR1-kOJf0qF8zRsl6P2c8fBTpIJHoicfZCvdN2NDCF~Y55XnPd9FMFFlxZFsRappTwHpmjA8Lnx0To4WumKZxWCQ3xwzTaiVTa2IgM0KYEdvCRsdn9qKsxpLhEIGjTTc3-1wQ61MW6sUN~Nkgl1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) regional housing needs assessment at the July 28 Lakewood City Council meeting, telling councilors that Lakewood’s portion of the region’s unmet housing need is an estimated 8,640 units to be identified by 2032 and that the greatest need in the city is for deeply affordable rental homes for households earning 0–50% of area median income (AMI).

Chris Connor, Lakewood’s Housing and Thriving Communities manager, delivered the presentation required by the state’s sustainable affordable housing assistance law. Connor said DRCOG’s regional assessment finds roughly 511,000 units are needed across the nine‑county region through 2050, with 44% of those units needed by 2032. “The most significant housing need in Lakewood is for deeply affordable rental housing at very low income 0 to 50% AMI,” Connor said during the presentation.

Connor summarized the numbers for Lakewood: DRCOG estimated 70,600 housing units existed in Lakewood at the time of its July 2024 analysis, and the city’s share of the near‑term need is about 8,640 additional units by 2032. He said that, of units the region needs before 2032, approximately 60% should serve households at 0–50% AMI — a level the presentation characterized as “very low income” and equating in cost‑of‑living terms to roughly $49,000 a year for a single‑person household and $70,000 for a family of four in the DRCOG analysis.

Connor and councilors also discussed the practical implications of the numbers. Councilor [first name provided in transcript] asked whether the 8,640 total meant roughly 1,200 new units per year in Lakewood to meet the goal; Connor said that, when combined with preservation of existing affordable units, meeting the target would require a much larger pace of building than recent permit totals show. The presentation noted that Lakewood issued around 185 single‑family building permits in 2024 and 153 in 2023, figures far short of the pace implied by the assessment.

Council members stressed the regional nature of the shortage and asked how the DRCOG figures align with state housing goals and local programs. Connor said local jurisdictions may submit comments on the regional assessment; the DRCOG analysis will be used to meet compliance with DOLA (Department of Local Affairs) methodological requirements and does not preclude local governments from pursuing additional or more granular needs assessments.

Ending: The council held the housing needs assessment as a public hearing item and did not take a vote; staff will submit comments to DRCOG and said the assessment will inform local planning, preservation and affordable‑housing strategies going forward.","City staff presented the Denver Regional Council of Governments' regional housing needs assessment and told council Lakewood's share is an estimated 8,640 units by 2032, with the largest need for rental units serving households at 0–50% area median income.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lakewood speakers demand independent oversight after death of Jax Graton; police chief details training and policy steps

Council asks advisory committee to study volunteer park stewards and bike‑path volunteers

Council approves $1.27 million funding for Dry Gulch/2 Creeks Park work, Mile High Flood District IGA and several property actions

Lakewood City Council adopts Envision Lakewood 2040 comprehensive plan after multiyear process

DRCOG assessment: Lakewood needs 8,640 new housing units by 2032, majority for very‑low‑income renters