It's on your permanent record, Mr. Mayor

July 12, 4:59 PMDenver City Hall ExaminerLisa Jones

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Driving while ability impaired. According to court records, John W. Hickenlooper was cited in September 1989 for driving after consuming alcohol or drugs. (DWAI is defined here.)

This information is stored in a city database easily accessible to anyone who cares to look it up. Go here to search Denver court records. Search for case number 89C322961, or search using the mayor's name.

Today, Hizzoner has a full-time staff of PR pros who can explain away this public record on Hick's behalf, minimizing any possible embarrassment.

It was 20 years ago, after all. It's not relevant. No big deal.

Still, when presented with this very old, very small city record, some people will make assumptions, draw conclusions and form judgments.

Is that fair?

Today, Mayor Hick dreams of creating a city database to track children -- their troubles at home, school performance, brushes with the law, their use of city amenities such as rec centers -- to "pinpoint kids who are veering off-track."

In other words, Hickenlooper wants a city database to help people make assumptions, draw conclusions and form judgments about Denver's children.

Is that fair?

It's one thing to be a 37-year-old adult who gets a day in court to defend himself against a DWAI charge.

Will six-year-old Emma have a chance to explain her poor playground behavior before it goes on her city record? This information could shadow her for the rest of her life.

Public records last a long time. They can be accessed by college-admissions officers, potential employers, lenders, insurers, private investigators, marketing firms and others who routinely draw conclusions and make judgments about people.

Public records from 20 years ago can be dredged up and paraded around by anyone, Mayor Hickenlooper, sometimes causing discomfort and even deep, personal pain.

Well-meaning busybody proponents of child-tracker technology ought to ask themselves if they'd want their own lives logged and analyzed by city bureaucrats, and heaven knows who else.

Fair enough?