Prepared remarks: 34th Annual COVA Conference (Oct. 25, 2022)
Thank you for inviting me to join you at the 34th annual COVA conference. Thank you, Nancy Lewis, for your leadership – serving as COVA’s executive director for 28 years. You’ve really made a lasting impact.
Today, I am going to talk about courage. Specifically, I will talk about the courage it takes to move through the criminal justice system – as a victim, as a peace officer, as a prosecutor, and as a victim’s advocate.
Consider, for example, hate crimes. A recent survey on hate crimes found that approximately 30 percent of adults in Colorado have experienced hate crimes, including harassment, property damage, and physical assault. Unfortunately, less than 20 percent of those who experienced a hate crime reported it. The reasons for low reporting rates are multi-faceted, but these statistics demonstrate the courage it takes crime victims to engage in the system.
These statistics also show that we all have more work to do to improve our criminal justice system—which is one of my top priorities. This work, as we recognize, requires work and leadership from so many at this conference. Thank you for all you do.
Peace Officer Training
Let me begin by acknowledging the important work of law enforcement officers and the many professionals who support their work. For victims, their experience is often shaped by interactions with law enforcement and my office has been focused on improving the training provided to law enforcement to make sure these interactions are trauma-informed and that officers are ready to meet the pressing demands of the reality of modern policing. We are also focused on how we can better support the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers. This work has never been more important.
During the past three years, with significant leadership from POST Director Bo Bourgerie, we completed a job task analysis for Colorado peace officers. We did this as a first step in what will be the first time in 40 years that we redesign the law enforcement academy curriculum. With this job task analysis now in hand—capturing the critical competencies and skills we expect from law enforcement officers—we are well positioned to improve academy training, changing what and how we teach to make sure our law enforcement officers have the skills and competencies to prepare them to success as peace officers in Colorado.
We recognize that this is an ambitious undertaking. This process will involve significant input from advisory committees as well as professional input from curriculum developers. To advance this process, we will engage with academies to run pilot projects and ensure we are making improvements. Indeed, we recognize that this is not a one-time event, but rather will be a part of an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement of the law enforcement academy curriculum.
The overall goal of this effort is to better support law enforcement officers, including helping them develop communication skills and compassion for victims. For all law enforcement officers doing this work, and motivated by helping victims, you have our deepest appreciation. And for those interested in engaging in our work to improve peace officer training, please feel free to chat with myself, Bo Bourgerie, and Janet Drake, our wonderful Criminal Justice Deputy, who is also a COVA Board member.
Lethality Assessment Program
In addition to improving training, I am committed to investing additional resources into developing tools to support law enforcement and crime victims. One of those tools is the Lethality Assessment Program, an evidence-based set of questions law enforcement can use to assess risk for domestic violence victims. To bring this tool to Colorado, the Department of Law sought and was awarded a federal Justice Administration Grant. Supported by this grant, my office hired a statewide coordinator to support statewide implementation of the Lethality Assessment Program. Boulder County law enforcement agencies and victim advocates were some of the first to participate in the training, and we look forward to expanding outreach to 25 additional agencies in the next year.
Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board
The Lethality Assessment Program we are now implementing results from a recommendation developed through the work of the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. That statewide board was formed under the tenure of my predecessor Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, who is with us here for this conference and remains a champion in supporting and honoring victims. As her successor, I now serve as the board’s chair and am honored to continue this important work. With the assistance of the Rose Andom Center and Dr. Joanne Belknap, the board collects and analyzes statewide data on domestic violence fatalities. This meaningful analysis raises awareness about gaps in our systems and presents opportunities for us to collaborate around improvements.
I am pleased to report that the General Assembly has authorized the board for another 5 years. In so doing, the legislature expanded the Board’s mandate to focus more on implementation of the Board’s recommendations. We are ready and eager to embrace this focus. This year’s report will be released after the New Year so please keep an eye out for that. And, as always, if you have any questions about our work in this space, please reach out.
Gun Safety
The Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board’s annual report consistently shows that domestic violence victims are predominantly killed by gun violence. To address this threat, in 2019, I worked with stakeholders to press for and implement the Extreme Risk Protection Order law (HB19-1177), which creates a process to remove guns from people who pose a significant risk to themselves or others. In 2020 and 2021, I also worked with policy makers to strengthen the protection order law that ensures the removal of guns from domestic violence perpetrators (HB21-1255). I will continue to press for such common-sense gun safety policies and appreciate the hard work of many in the room to implement these laws.
Victim Rights Act
One other important way our department supports crime victims is through our enforcement of the Victim Rights Act. Some of you are aware that the District Attorney in the San Luis Valley routinely violated the Victim Rights Act by failing to notify victims about critical stages of cases and failing to allow victims to meaningfully participate in the criminal justice process. My office investigated a series of allegations made against the District Attorney and, after an in-depth investigation and significant negotiations, we entered into a binding agreement. Under the requirements of this framework, the San Luis Valley’s District Attorney’s office must update policies, participate in training, and hire an independent monitor to ensure VRA compliance.
After the elected District Attorney resigned, I was appointed to handle the cases in the 12th Judicial District. As a result, my office ran the District Attorney’s office between July 14 until August 29, when the Governor appointed District Attorney Anne Kelly. During this difficult period, prosecutors and investigators from my office continue to support law enforcement and crime victims in the San Luis Valley. We are committed to this work because ensuring that rural communities are supported, both to help victims and hold criminals accountable, is important to our department.
Supporting COVA
Another important way we support victims is supporting COVA. As I noted, Janet Drake, our Deputy Attorney General for the Criminal Justice Section, has served on COVA’s Board of Directors since I appointed her to the deputy position in 2019. She is committed to making victim-centered decisions as we work together to improve the criminal justice system.
* * *
Let me close my remarks where I started. It takes courage to participate in the criminal justice system. Courage to support people experiencing trauma. Courage to respond to crisis. Courage to report victimization. Courage to testify in court. Courage to do the work it takes to transform from victim to survivor. Thank you all for your courage and commitment to serving others.