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Denver Police Intelligence Files

The Spy Files
In 1953 the Denver Police Department began to gather information on individuals and groups regarding activities that might pose a threat to public safety. The files came to be known as the Spy Files during the publicity surrounding an American Civil Liberties Union class action lawsuit in 2002. According to the lawsuit, as many as 3,200 individuals and 208 organizations had been targeted for intelligence gathering operations. These groups and individuals included not only criminal elements but also peace activists and education and human rights organizations. The lawsuit was settled in 2003 with the city revising its policies governing the gathering of this type of information.
Mayor John Hickenlooper ordered the records be archived at the Denver Public Library and preserved for study. Part of the archive is currently available to the public and part is a restricted collection, accessible only by those individuals and organizations specifically named in the documents. The complete collection will open to the public in the year 2055.

Denver Police Department Intelligence Files – Unrestricted Collection WH1911

The open collection of the Denver Police Department Intelligence Files consists of copies of newspaper clippings, pamphlets, flyers, articles and photographs. This material was copied from the unrestricted portion of the collection. It is available through the Western History/Genealogy Department. Customers must first fill out the manuscript request form.

Denver Police Department Intelligence Files – Restricted Collection

Restricted files will be made available only to persons or organizations named in the files.

Required Forms (PDF):

	Form 2.1	Request for Denver Police Department Intelligence Files
	Form 2.3.2	Affidavit of Representation
	Form 2.3.6	Affidavit of Release

Requests for records pertaining to an individual

Customers must fill out the Request for Denver Police Department Intelligence Files application (Form 2.1) and present a legally acceptable photo identification card that includes birth date, which will be copied and attached to the application. Please allow 30 days for response/certified letter.
The Request form will be turned over to a designated member of the staff who will check index and file to verify identification. If the customer’s name is not on the index, a certified letter will be sent notifying customer.
If a customer’s name appears on index, redacted copies will be sent by certified mail to customer.

Requests for records pertaining to a third party

Customers may make a request through a third party who is in possession of a notarized power of attorney (form supplied by requester). A copy of the requesting individual and the third party’s legally acceptable photo identification that contains birth date must both be attached to the Request for Denver Police Department Intelligence Files (Form 2.1). The Denver Public Library reserves the right to review the power of attorney document for acceptability prior to fulfilling the request for information. Please allow 30 days for response/certified letter.
The Request form will be turned over to a designated member of the staff who will check index and file to verify identification. If the customer’s name is not on the index, a certified letter will be sent notifying customer.
If a customer’s name appears on index, redacted copies will be sent by certified mail to customer.

Requests for records pertaining to a group or organization

Only one representative from each group or organization seeking information will be accepted. The representative must complete a Request for Denver Police Department Intelligence Files (Form 2.1) and present legally acceptable photo identification card that contains birth date. The representative must also complete the Affidavit of Representation (Form 2.3.2) including notarization. The affidavit will ask the representative to attest to the fact he or she is an authorized representative of the group or organization. The signature on the form must be witnessed and attested to by a notary public. A request will only be accepted from one representative from each group or organization. Persons making subsequent requests will be refused and provided a copy of the Affidavit of Representation (Form 2.3.2) completed by the first person that requests the information. Please note the applications will be kept on file indefinitely. Please allow 30 days for response/certified letter.
Forms will be turned over to designated member of the staff who will check index. If the group or organization’s name is not on the index, a certified letter will be sent notifying customer.
If the group or organization’s name appears on index, a designated clerk will make copies of the material and redact all other names of individuals unless notarized releases were submitted (Form 2.3.6). When the representative requests papers pertaining to that organization or group, all names of persons will be redacted unless the Library receives the Affidavit of Release (Form 2.3.6) from each individual stating that they give permission to the Denver Public Library to release their names. All other names will be redacted. The redacted copies will be sent by certified mail to the representative.

Please mail forms to:
Denver Public Library – Western History/Genealogy Department
10 West Fourteenth Avenue Parkway
Denver, Colorado 80204-2731

If you have a question, please contact us by email DPDIB@denverlibrary.org
or by phone at 720-865-1821