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![Photo: Denver Mayor Michael Hancock Introduces Patrick Firman, New Denver Sheriff.](https://www.cpr.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://wp-cpr.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/06/firman-1.jpg)
Firman on Tuesday updated a City Council committee on the progress of a bevy of reforms at the department. The agency has been under heavy criticism after a series of deputy misconduct cases.
“The main thrust of the policy is we want deputies to, whenever possible, choose other means rather than force," he said.
A big challenge will be changing the culture, Firman admitted.
"We have a very tough culture that we deal with within corrections," he said. "There’s a lot of people who’ve been around a long time. And change is hard.”
Firman began his role as sheriff four months ago.