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Response, aftermath make tragedy most costly crime in state's history, Zavaras says
By Charley AbleDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
Taxpayers spent almost $9 million on the response and aftermath of the Columbine High tragedy, making it the most expensive crime in Colorado history. "This is unquestionably the most costly," said Ari Zavaras, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The figure represents costs incurred by public agencies responding to the incident in which two gunmen last April killed 12 of their classmates and a teacher before killing themselves. Included in the cost are on-going investigative, administrative and counseling expenditures. Zavaras said the initial response to the shootings also represents the largest such effort ever assembled in the state. Nearly four dozen emergency agencies responded to Columbine, and about 1,000 law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel were at the scene. Other organizations provided victim assistance counselors and advocates at the scene and in the aftermath. A number of local police and sheriff's departments also provided ongoing assistance during the subsequent 10-month investigation, as did a number of state and federal agencies. The costs are approximate because many of the agencies involved did not track actual expenses. For those agencies, many of the figures provided are estimates based on the number of personnel involved, the hours they spent either at Columbine or in the investigation. Other agencies tracked their expenses dollar-for-dollar, and some provided volunteer officers at the scene and did not put a cost on those services. Some of the costs include increased security at local schools. Not included in the total are some grants given to agencies to cover their expenses because the funds would represent duplicate costs. One grant, from Victims of Crimes Act federal funds, represents $750,000 passed directly to victims and is part of the total since it does not represent reimbursement. A significant, but largely unquantifiable expense, is that of "lost opportunity costs" -- the routine, day-to-day business from which significant personnel and other resources were diverted to aid in the crisis. "That's been perhaps one of the most frustrating pieces of the Columbine response," said Ron Holliday, Jefferson County administrator. "People, when they are pulled off their primary duties to take care of a prolonged emergency, they just cannot do two jobs at the same time as well as you can do one job." Contact Charley Able at (303) 892-5020 or at ablec@RockyMountainNews.com. News Staff Writer Peggy Lowe contributed to this report. April 8, 2000
Taxpayers spent almost $9 million on the response and aftermath of the Columbine High tragedy, making it the most expensive crime in Colorado history.
"This is unquestionably the most costly," said Ari Zavaras, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.
The figure represents costs incurred by public agencies responding to the incident in which two gunmen last April killed 12 of their classmates and a teacher before killing themselves.
Included in the cost are on-going investigative, administrative and counseling expenditures.
Zavaras said the initial response to the shootings also represents the largest such effort ever assembled in the state.
Nearly four dozen emergency agencies responded to Columbine, and about 1,000 law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel were at the scene.
Other organizations provided victim assistance counselors and advocates at the scene and in the aftermath. A number of local police and sheriff's departments also provided ongoing assistance during the subsequent 10-month investigation, as did a number of state and federal agencies.
The costs are approximate because many of the agencies involved did not track actual expenses.
For those agencies, many of the figures provided are estimates based on the number of personnel involved, the hours they spent either at Columbine or in the investigation. Other agencies tracked their expenses dollar-for-dollar, and some provided volunteer officers at the scene and did not put a cost on those services.
Some of the costs include increased security at local schools.
Not included in the total are some grants given to agencies to cover their expenses because the funds would represent duplicate costs. One grant, from Victims of Crimes Act federal funds, represents $750,000 passed directly to victims and is part of the total since it does not represent reimbursement.
A significant, but largely unquantifiable expense, is that of "lost opportunity costs" -- the routine, day-to-day business from which significant personnel and other resources were diverted to aid in the crisis.
"That's been perhaps one of the most frustrating pieces of the Columbine response," said Ron Holliday, Jefferson County administrator.
"People, when they are pulled off their primary duties to take care of a prolonged emergency, they just cannot do two jobs at the same time as well as you can do one job."
Contact Charley Able at (303) 892-5020 or at ablec@RockyMountainNews.com.
News Staff Writer Peggy Lowe contributed to this report.
April 8, 2000