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

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.