Last night, Denver's police force settlements spilled over $1 million in payouts from the city this year alone.

Denver's city council voted unanimously on Monday to settle two excessive force lawsuits for $80,000.

In 2008, Brighton volunteer firefighter Jared Lunn was heckled and then punched by another man while carrying a pizza to his car. When he spotted Officer Eric Sellers, he asked the officer for help but Sellers allegedly refused. When Lunn made a sarcastic comment, Sellers placed him in a chokehold on the ground, handcuffed him and reportedly wouldn't let him leave until he'd apologized. After a 40-day suspension, Sellers resigned and the Denver City Council settled his case for $45,000.

Two years later in a separate case, Denver Police were caught on videotape in the shocking beating of Mark Ashford. Ashford had been walking his dogs when he saw police pull someone over for running a stop sign, and he offered to testify that the driver had stopped. Officers John Diaz and Jeff Cook then came over, when they detained and beat him.

"They punched him and pinned him up against the fence and forced his head into the concrete," Ashford's attorney, Will Hart said.

The Denver Post reports that Diaz retired before the case reached its conclusion and Cook did not face punishment for excessive force. Ashford reportedly settled for $35,000.

Videos are available below depicting incidents of Denver Police brutality that have either produced firings within the department or been settled this year.

WATCH:

PHOTO GALLERY DPD Brutality Cases Settled In 2011