Police officers aim to protect and serve the public, but they sometimes endanger people if they use more force than is necessary during an encounter. Citizens can wind up severely hurt during an interaction with police officers who use excessive force. Allegations of...
Police Brutality
What is the definition of police brutality?
Law enforcement officials have the right to detain, arrest and use force against civilians when necessary and appropriate. However, there are times in which they abuse their power and act more harshly than the law allows them to. Force against civilians that is...
Can the Colorado police use racial profiling on the job?
Most everyone feels a little uncomfortable when dealing with law enforcement officers. Sadly, some people have personal experiences that justify that common-sense nervousness. People of different backgrounds can have completely different experiences with police...
How predictive policing gets it wrong
“Predictive policing” is one of the newest tools in the police arsenal against crime. It’s also highly debated. Understanding how predictive policing is used -- and misused -- is essential to protecting your rights. Here’s what you need to know. What’s predictive...
Is de-escalation part of continuing education for Colorado law enforcement officers?
There are numerous ways for police officers to change the course of an interaction with the public. For example, officers could intervene in a verbal dispute and prevent it from erupting in to physical violence by calming down or separating people who were arguing....
Police brutality issues: What is the Use of Force Continuum?
It would be wonderful if the world had no crime and no need for law enforcement. Unfortunately, crime remains an issue across the entire globe, which means police officers fill a critical role in public safety. Most people appreciate knowing how police officers are...
Colorado city bans no-knock warrants
“No-knock actions are a recipe for an armed confrontation that is going to result in serious physical injury or loss of life.” Those are the words of Mark Silverstein, the legal director of Colorado’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Earlier this month, the...
These are 3 types of police misconduct you should know
When you interact with the police, you want that interaction to be positive. You don’t want to have a negative interaction because that can negatively color your vision of the police. You want to be able to trust and rely on the officers who serve in your community....
De-escalation police training often happens after an incident
Police officers have a professional duty to protect and serve the community where they work. All too often, the personal prejudices and fears of individual officers impact the way that they treat people in their community for the worse. Officers can let their internal...
Excessive force and your rights after a police interaction
When you are stopped for a traffic crime or approached by a police officer for a crime of another type, the last thing that should happen is for the officer to use excessive force. There are times when force is necessary, but many times it is not.If you are victimized...