A man classified by the courts as a sexually violent predator is moving into Denver's Green Valley Ranch neighborhood, and police are making sure the community knows it.
On Wednesday, Denver police identified him as Joseph DeLaCruz Salazar and said the alert is required under Colorado's community-notification law. Officials also urged residents to report safety concerns through official phone lines rather than turning neighborhood chatter on social media into a substitute for 911.
The City of Denver lists Salazar among the court-designated sexually violent predators on its public registry and outlines how registration is handled in these cases. According to the City of Denver, the Sex Offender Registration Unit is located at 1331 Cherokee Street for in-person registration and can be reached at (720) 913-6511. Statewide resources provide additional background on how SVP community notification operates across Colorado.
In a post on the Denver Police Department Facebook page, officers reminded residents that true emergencies still belong on 911, writing, "If this is an emergency, please call or text 911," and noting that "this social media platform is not monitored 24/7." The post named Salazar gave a neighborhood address and linked to a video explaining how Denver handles sexually violent predator cases.
What Colorado law requires
Colorado law allows active community notification only for individuals designated as sexually violent predators and requires local agencies to work with the state's central registry. As spelled out in the Colorado Revised Statutes, law enforcement must alert the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and ensure SVP status is added to the central registry.
The Colorado Department of Public Safety issues a community-notification bulletin that walks agencies through how and when they should notify the public, including the timing and procedures departments follow when releasing notices like the one for Green Valley Ranch.
How neighbors can get more information
Residents who want more detail or ongoing updates can search public records on the statewide SOTAR portal. In Denver, questions about registration or compliance can go to the Sex Offender Registration and Compliance Unit at (720) 913-6511. For non-urgent tips or concerns, neighbors can call the Denver Police non-emergency line at (720) 913-2000.
The city also posts video briefings and local updates to help residents make sense of the listings and understand what community notification is meant to do, beyond the quick-hit reaction that often plays out in neighborhood feeds.
Keep these cautions in mind
Officials emphasize that the registry is designed as a public-safety tool, not a perfect predictor of risk or a hit list. Entries can change over time and should not be used to fuel harassment or vigilantism. State guidance in the community-notification bulletin notes that SVP alerts are narrowly aimed at the highest-risk cases and that the information has to be used responsibly.
Denver police say this notice about Salazar is being shared to meet legal requirements and to give neighbors clear, official information. For immediate concerns, they direct residents to call or text 911. For non-urgent questions, they point people to the Sex Offender Registration Unit or the department's non-emergency number.
