Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board meets virtually

Board remains in compliance with open meetings law while conducting business virtually

March 27, 2020 (DENVER, Colo.)— The Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board, chaired by Attorney General Phil Weiser, today held its quarterly public meeting virtually to remain in compliance with Colorado’s open meetings law. Over 70 individuals participated in the virtual meeting.

“Colorado POST demonstrated today that state and local public bodies can continue to conduct critical business virtually in order to maintain social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, and comply with open meetings laws,” said Weiser. “The board provided the Zoom meeting details to the public in advance so they so that they could view the meeting virtually or listen via phone. We were pleased that a number of members of the public were able to join us remotely.”

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, board vice chair, said that the dedication of the law enforcement leaders, appointed private citizens, and other professionals who sit on the POST Board continue to show their commitment to the professionalism of law enforcement throughout the State of Colorado.

Today, the board heard subject matter expert reports, reviewed appeals and considered the revocation of peace officers’ certifications for eight individuals. Under Colorado law, the POST Board suspends or revokes a peace officer certification if the certificate holder has been convicted of a felony at any time, has been convicted of a number of misdemeanors for which decertification is required, or has otherwise failed to meet the certification requirements established by the Board.

The Colorado open meetings law generally requires state public bodies to discuss public business or to take formal action in meetings that are open to the public. The statute makes clear that such public meetings can be conducted entirely electronically. The Attorney General’s Office continues to provide guidance to its clients on how best to conduct virtual meetings and follow the open meetings law during the COVID-19 emergency. As with the POST meeting conducted today, even during this public health emergency, it is critical that the public is notified about a meeting at least 24 hours ahead of time with an opportunity to participate, or longer when feasible. To provide guidance on such meetings, the Attorney General’s Office has also shared a set of Frequently Asked Questions on the topic.

The POST Board documents and manages the certification and training of all active peace officers and reserve peace officers working for Colorado law enforcement agencies. POST also provides continuing training on emerging issues, including anti-bias, DNA and witness protection issues. Colorado POST is a unit of the Criminal Justice Section of the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. To view meeting agendas and information to join future meetings, go to colorado.gov/post.

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Contact: Lawrence Pacheco

Director of Communications

Mobile: (720) 245-4689

lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov