Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government

Sheriffs who denounced Colorado’s red flag law are now using it

By Markian Hawryluk, KHN Dolores County Sheriff Don Wilson never expected to use Colorado’s red flag law when it was passed in 2019. He thought the law made it too easy to take a person’s guns away. The statute allows law enforcement officers or private citizens to petition a county court to confiscate firearms temporarily from […]

Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government

Conflict grows between Douglas County’s sheriff and his former second-in-command

A heated conflict between the Douglas County sheriff and his former second-in-command — who is now running as a candidate to replace him — is headed to court after a lawsuit was filed in December. Sheriff Tony Spurlock and former Undersheriff Holly Nicholson-Kluth’s feud involves a mishmash of investigations and accusations, including allegations of political […]

Posted inNews

State leaders call for unified action to combat rising fentanyl poisonings across Colorado

State legislators, law enforcement officials and district attorneys on Thursday stressed the need for a more collaborative response to combat surging fentanyl poisonings that have killed more Coloradans than gun violence and car crashes combined.  “This alarming rise in fentanyl calls for action,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said at the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial […]

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Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas is running for sheriff

By Elliott Wenzler, Douglas County News-Press In a move that could shake up Douglas County’s political leadership, county Commissioner Lora Thomas announced Friday that she will run for sheriff in 2022. If the Republican’s bid is successful, she would be required to resign from her current position in county government about two years early and […]

Posted inBusiness, Crime and Courts, News

Seven accused in $5.2 million Denver-area money laundering scheme

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday announced multiple arrests in what is being called one of the largest money-laundering schemes in Colorado history. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said the arrests came after a two-year investigation spanning multiple jurisdictions. Spurlock said they started investigating the suspected multimillion-dollar laundering scheme when several law enforcement chiefs […]

Posted inCrime and Courts, News

STEM School Highlands Ranch shooter sentenced to life in prison after emotional, day-long hearing

Betrayal. Lasting fear. Anger.  A community forever shattered. Victims of last year’s deadly shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, including students who barely escaped death, spoke of still-raw wounds as 17-year-old Alec McKinney, one of the two shooters responsible for the attack, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 […]

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 […]

Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government

Colorado’s guidance to police on the red flag law doesn’t include what to do if someone won’t give up their guns

The board overseeing law enforcement training and procedures in Colorado has released its model policy for how police departments and sheriff’s offices should use the new, controversial red flag gun law when it goes into effect Jan. 1.  The law allows a judge to order temporary seizure of guns from someone deemed a significant risk […]

Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government

Gov. Polis and state lawmakers eye changes to how police-involved deaths are investigated in Colorado

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and a leading statehouse Democrat are working together to identify potential changes to the way law enforcement-involved deaths are investigated. But their tentative plans are already drawing skepticism from the top prosecutor in the state’s largest judicial district and county sheriffs. “We need to make sure that when law enforcement kills […]