A Colorado police officers’ use-of-force dashboard will launch this fall. Here’s what to expect.
The report and public dashboard, which were due months ago, are mandated under new laws that allow for more public oversight on officers’ use of force with the public
A statewide report and public dashboard on police officers’ use of force, a requirement set under Colorado’s sweeping police accountability reforms, is set to be published by the end of fall, months after its original deadline.
The report, which will include data from 270 law enforcement agencies in Colorado, will show the number of incidents in which officers use force and no-knock warrants, and will include information on deadly police encounters and police officer resignations while under investigation for violations of their agency’s policies.
The publication of the report and dashboard was delayed by several months because of “unexpected challenges” with technology training, terminology education and software implementation, said Paula Vargas, a spokesperson for Colorado Department of Public Safety.
The report marks a shift toward more transparency in police officers’ interactions with the public. The frequency with which officers use force against people in the line of duty is often shrouded from public view as law enforcement agencies have long resisted opening disciplinary files that could reveal details of on-the-job misconduct.
The report and dashboard are mandated under sweeping law enforcement reforms that Gov. Jared Polis signed into law in 2020 in 2021, on the heels of nationwide protests calling for more accountability for police officers.
Read more from Olivia Prentzel at ColoradoSun.com.
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