Statement of Attorney General Phil Weiser in support of Senate Bill 20-217 to Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity

June 10, 2020 (DENVER, Colo.)—Attorney General Phil Weiser today released the following statement in support of Senate Bill 20-217:

“In Colorado, we work hard to ensure that our law enforcement officers are held to high standards, and that the policies and practices that guide their work are worthy of public trust. Senate Bill 20-217 advances these crucial goals in important ways and should be enacted into law.

“This bill represents Colorado’s commitment to collaborative problem solving. During the discussion of this bill, Coloradans, our department, and stakeholders from across the state were afforded the opportunity to contribute to and improve the bill. I sincerely thank the bill sponsors for their leadership: Senate President Leroy Garcia, Sen. Rhonda Fields, Rep. Leslie Herod, and Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, as well as the very significant contributions of Sen. John Cooke and Sen. Bob Gardner. Together, we can build on the calls for racial justice in this moment and build a more just and fairer Colorado.

“Going forward, the Attorney General’s Office is committed to bringing the bill’s goals and policies into reality, including through our leadership of the Peace Officers Standard and Training Board. As our state moves to implement this bill and other important criminal justice improvement priorities, we must work to provide the necessary funding to local governments, including equipping all peace officers with body cameras and supporting bail reform efforts. As we continue this work, we are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their commitment to protect our communities and look forward to working with them as we implement these reforms and improvements.”