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Colorado Police Reform Approved

TEAR Gas and Weapons Prohibited

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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The Colorado House of Representatives passed a new law reforming the use of force by police in the state. In the final vote, 52 representatives voted in favor of SB20-217, with 13 votes against. In the Senate, the bill had been approved by 32 votes against 1. Governor Jared Polis will sign this reform.

The new law requires all police officers to carry body cameras when responding to cases of violence. In cases of death, injury, or police brutality, these videos should be made public 21 days after the incident.

Creating an Evaluation Board

The law prohibits excessive and deadly force if a suspect attempts to flee. It also restricts and limits deadly force even with imminent danger present, if a suspect is carrying a deadly weapon with intention to use it, or if a suspect has the ability to kill or injure other people.

From now on, a new state board will review all incidents in which police killed or seriously injured a suspect. The board will also analyze database of all policemen who resign after being accused of violence. The race and ethnicity of all persons contacted by police will be recorded as well.

No TearGas or Weapons Against Protestors

The law also prohibits in cases of protests and demonstrations the police form using non-fatal weapons aimed at the head, pelvis, or back of protesters. Police are also prohibited from using “irritating chemical agents.”

New measures will be implemented in stages from now until January 1^st, 2023, the expected time that all policemen will be carrying body cameras. The law is a direct consequence of the recent death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis.