Neighbors in Denver's Cheesman Park neighborhood got an unsettling update Wednesday when police announced that a person legally designated as a sexually violent predator is now living in the area. The Denver Police Department said it is sharing detailed information so residents can stay informed, and reminded the public that social media is not monitored for emergencies. Anyone facing an immediate threat is urged to call 911.
In a post on its official Facebook page, the Denver Police Department identified the person as John Dios Saiz and listed his address as 1480 High St., Unit 16 in Cheesman Park, as posted by the Denver Police Department. The notice repeats that emergencies should go to 911 and provides contact information for the department's non-emergency line and the Sex Offender Registration/Compliance Unit. Additional contact details, as well as the city's list of sexually violent predators, are available on the City of Denver sex-offender page.
What the law requires
Under Colorado law, local law enforcement must carry out community notification when someone has been adjudicated a sexually violent predator, and local agencies are responsible for making those notices. Part 9 of the statute spells out how that notification works and explicitly warns against vigilantism while still requiring that the public be informed. The full legal text and procedures are available in the Colorado Revised Statutes.
How Denver notifies neighbors
According to the city's online materials, the Denver Police Department keeps a public list of sexually violent predators and uses short video briefings and neighborhood alerts to get the word out to residents. The Sex Offender Registration Unit operates out of 1331 Cherokee Street, and the city lists a Sex Offender Hotline at (720) 913-6511 for questions. For non-urgent tips or information that does not require an immediate response, residents are directed to call the Denver Police non-emergency line at (720) 913-2000, per the Denver Police Department.
What neighbors can do
Anyone who sees suspicious behavior is urged to call 911 right away, or to use the Denver Police non-emergency line at (720) 913-2000 when the situation is not urgent. Questions about an individual's registration status can be directed to the Sex Offender Registration Unit at (720) 913-6511. Survivors and those seeking support can contact The Blue Bench at 303-322-7273. Police stress that these community notices are meant to inform the public, not to prompt confrontation, and ask residents to share tips with officers so they can be properly investigated.
This latest alert follows Denver's routine practice for notifying the public when a sexually violent predator registers in a neighborhood; Five Points On Edge is one recent example. For the full Facebook alert, residents can refer to the Denver Police post linked above or contact the Sex Offender Registration Unit for additional information.
