Troy Riggs was named Denver’s new Executive Director of the Department of Public Safety on Monday morning. Riggs will oversee the Police, Fire and Sheriff’s Departments, Denver 911, Community Corrections, Safety Youth Programs and gang reduction initiatives. Riggs joined the Department of Public Safety last year as Deputy Director.
"I've never seen a better funded, better trained and more dedicated workforce in my life," said Riggs.
Riggs came to Denver from Indianapolis where he served as the Police Chief, managing over 1,600 officers and nearly 200 civilian personnel.
From 2012-2015, Riggs served as the Director of Public Safety for the City of Indianapolis where he managed the Police and Fire departments, Emergency Medical Services, Homeland Security, Citizens Complaint Board, Public Safety Communications, the Prisoner Reentry Program, and Animal Care and Control. He has also served in law enforcement leadership roles in Corpus Christi, Texas and Louisville, Kentucky.
Stephanie O’Malley led the department for the past four years.
"This is not one of the easiest jobs in city government," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. "In fact, it's one of the hardest jobs."
Hancock has asked O'Malley to serve as Special Assistant to the Mayor to strengthen the city’s work with minority and women-owned businesses and better connect Denver residents and communities to jobs, skills training and other economic opportunities.
O’Malley will focus on connecting more of Denver’s communities with the opportunities coming out of Denver’s economic success and major projects, including the package of bond projects approved by voters in November of last year. In this role, O’Malley will lead the Mayor’s coordination among the city’s agencies regarding opportunities for qualified minority and women firms on city projects. Additionally, she will coordinate with the Division of Small Business Opportunities in their implementation of the city’s ordinances pertaining to minority, women and small business enterprises.