Aurora’s police and fire departments have agreed to improve their use-of-force policies and training, develop a new system to collect data about police interactions with members of the community, and work to hire officers and firefighters that better reflect the city’s diversity as part of a consent decree with state prosecutors unveiled Tuesday. “The city […]
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Posted inCrime and Courts, News
The Denver Police Department hopes its new therapy dog will break down barriers with the community
By Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press The Denver Police Department’s first therapy dog was originally trained to be a guide dog, but she turned out to be too friendly to focus on helping one person. Now the department is counting on the Black English Labrador Retriever’s outgoing nature to help it break down barriers and […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
The ACLU has become a powerful player at the Colorado Capitol. But at what cost?
The ACLU of Colorado team credited with helping pass a slate of sweeping criminal justice reform measures abruptly resigned this month amid questions about whether the organization — powered by a jump in donations and a favorable political climate — was too aggressive in wielding its new status as one of the most influential groups […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Aurora police consistently break the law through racially biased policing and excessive force, attorney general finds
The Aurora Police Department consistently violates state and federal law in a pattern of racially biased policing and excessive use of force, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office concluded after a year-long investigation into the agency. The department, which has been mired in a string of headline-grabbing controversies in recent years, also fails to record legally […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Education, News
He’s 11. By his mom’s count, he’s had more than 30 interactions with armed officers at Colorado schools.
Kal-El was in second grade the first time a teacher threatened to call the police on him. His class was playing outside at recess. The teacher said it was time to go inside, and Kal-El refused. When the teacher made the threat about the police, Kal-El took off running toward the playground fence in an […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
Aurora temporarily bans ketamine use amid Elijah McClain probe
By Patty Nieberg, The Associated Press/Report for America City council members in Aurora have voted to ban the use of a powerful sedative by first responders until officials finish a review of its use in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a Black man put in a stranglehold by officers and injected with the drug, […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Transportation
RTD board soundly rejects resolution to replace security with social workers
By Patty Nieberg, The Associated Press/Reporter for America The Denver-metro transit system voted against a resolution to replace security with social workers on Tuesday. The resolution lost in a 14-1 vote in the Regional Transportation District’s publicly elected board of directors. RTD operates throughout most counties in Denver, Aurora and Boulder. Currently, their security team […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
Colorado Springs sergeant disciplined for comments on protest video
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Police Department has disciplined an officer accused of calling for protesters to be killed in comments during a live social media broadcast. Police Chief Vince Niski wrote in a letter to the community Monday that Sgt. Keith Wrede was suspended for 40 hours, removed from his specialized unit and […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado legislature sends far-reaching police accountability bill to Gov. Jared Polis
The Colorado legislature on Saturday sent Gov. Jared Polis a far-reaching police accountability bill in response to the death last month of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Polis has vowed to sign it into law. The pace at which Senate Bill 217 made its way through the lawmaking gears at the […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Law enforcement warns of unintended consequences with Colorado Democrats’ sweeping police accountability bill
An inability to recruit officers. Financial burdens small law enforcement agencies can’t handle. Sullied prosecutions. As Colorado Democrats’ sweeping police accountability bill received its first hearing on Thursday, police, prosecutors and Republican state lawmakers raised concerns about unintended consequences. “This bill is needed. We agree these types of actions are needed to respond to the […]