Rant & Rave: Wheelchair Rides and Police Reforms

Rant: Nice Move

There’s a chance you may not spend a lot of time thinking about wheelchair accessibility. But if you use a chair to get around our fair city or know someone who does, you’re probably a pro at knowing where to go. You also know how little things—a tiny step up into a building—can seem like a mountain. Or how the most trendy and perfectly accessible restaurant may not be reachable because the curb outside doesn’t have a ramp.

That’s why I must applaud Uber’s announcement that it is adding a wheelchair-accessible vehicle option in the Washington, D.C market. This will allow people to search for cars or vans properly suited to give them a lift. Great, right? The trouble is that the news came after “years of criticism” and is limited (at least for now). Here’s hoping that it comes to Denver soon.

Rave: Changing Times

Around this time of year, many of you have spent time filling out evaluations at work or ruminating on what’s working (and what’s not) with your employees. While the annual chore may be tedious, it can be vital to an organization’s growth. That’s true for a small, family-owned company and also for, say, police departments. On Monday, Colorado’s Peace Officers Standards and Training board went through a similar process and made two notable changes. According to the Denver Post, the board “amended its rules to require more frequent psychological and physical evaluations of officers,” and encouraged departments to expand background checks on job applicants. And while these moves may not radically alter police departments, it signals willingness for introspection that is too often undervalued. (To read about the state of Denver’s Police Department, read “Behind the Badge,” a story I wrote for 5280’s September issue.)

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What did #Coloradans Google more this year than New Yorkers and Texans? http://bit.ly/1RQlrz8 via @csindependent