Extreme Risk Protection Orders, Domestic Violence Lethality prevention, Lethality Assessment Protocol, and Behavioral Threat Assessment trainings
The Colorado Department of Law offers free, interactive, case-based trainings for law enforcement agencies focused on violence prevention, early intervention, and coordinated responses to high-risk situations. These trainings support officers and agencies in identifying risk, making structured decisions, and appropriately deploying using a range of criminal and civil tools to prevent violence before it occurs. Together, these trainings provide a continuum of risk identification and intervention tools designed to reduce suicide, domestic violence, and targeted violence.
Training format and approach
Law enforcement trainings are in person and highly interactive, with an emphasis on:
- Real-world case scenarios
- Facilitated discussion
- Application of tools in day-to-day policing
- Alignment with existing agency practices and priorities
Trainings are customized to the needs of each agency and may range from a half day to a multi-day training, depending on interest, staffing, and operational needs.
In addition to formal training, the Department of Law provides ongoing technical assistance to support agencies as questions arise during implementation or coordination with partners.
The Department of Law offers the below trainings, but all can be customized to meet the needs of a particular agency.
Preventing domestic violence fatalities: Lethality Assessment Protocol and Extreme Risk Protection Orders
HB26-1009 requires peace officers to conduct a Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Protocol (DVLAP) screen and connect victims to a community-based victim’s advocate when victims score high risk through the DVLAP. The Department of Law has been charged with providing DVLAP training to law enforcement agencies and collecting DVLAP screens. The Department of Law is developing a submissions portal and a virtual training, but in the meantime is offering a three-part, three-hour, in person training.
Part 1: Domestic Violence Lethality
In Colorado, domestic violence accounted for approximately 17% of all homicides in recent years, underscoring the importance of early identification and targeted intervention in high danger cases. This 1-hour segment situates domestic violence within the broader landscape of serious injury and homicide risk and trains peace officers on how to identify high danger domestic violence cases.
Part 2: Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Protocol
This 1-hour segment focuses on the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) as a tool to prevent domestic violence homicides. Participants learn how LAP identifies high danger cases and creates an immediate pathway to victim support. This training covers:
- Proper use of the LAP screening tool.
- The referral process that immediately connects high danger victims to advocacy and resources.
Part 3: Extreme Risk Protection Orders
This 1-hour training covers:
- How ERPOs may be used as a safety tool to reduce domestic violence and other types of harm.
- How ERPOs work under Colorado law.
- Legal standards and common use cases.
- Officer roles in petitioning and service.
- Case studies including body-worn camera footage.
Depending on time and agency interest, ERPO training can be provided as a standalone training and include deeper dives into court practice, complex service scenarios, interagency coordination, and implementation challenges. Agencies often begin with leadership-level training, with optional follow-up briefings and technical assistance available for additional personnel.
This training is designed for command staff and supervisors, with follow-up training and technical assistance available for patrol officers and other personnel on request.
Email preventiontraining@coag.gov to request a Domestic Violence LAP and ERPO Training for your agency.
Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management training
The Colorado Department of Law offers Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management training options to help law enforcement agencies, schools, and community partners identify, assess, and manage concerning behaviors that may indicate a person is moving toward targeted violence.
Trainings are delivered by a Department of Justice certified Master Trainer. Training options include:
Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course: A three-day, in-depth training on BTAM principles, the pathway to violence, and strategies for identifying, assessing, and managing threats.
Basic Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course: A one-day training focused on recognizing warning signs, reporting concerns, and understanding intervention strategies.
Threat Evaluation and Reporting Overview: A three-hour introductory training for community members and partners who may play a role in recognizing and reporting concerning behavior.
All of these BTAM trainings emphasize prevention, multidisciplinary coordination, community involvement, and interventions that support safety while respecting privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. These trainings can be delivered on their own or paired with separate ERPO training, which provides additional legal tools for addressing certain high-risk cases identified through the threat assessment process.
Email preventiontraining@coag.gov to request a BTAM training for your agency.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders: Deeper-dive training supplement
For agencies that have already completed an introductory ERPO training or want additional support on specific implementation issues, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office offers a free, in-person deeper-dive training supplement on the utilization of ERPOs. This customizable session can be tailored to agency needs and may be used as a follow-up to leadership training, roll-call briefings, or prior ERPO instruction.
Topics may include advanced petition preparation, court practice, complex service and safety planning scenarios, interagency coordination, body-worn camera case studies, and practical implementation challenges. The supplement can also focus on agency-specific questions, local workflows, or coordination with courts, prosecutors, behavioral health partners, and other community stakeholders.
Optional follow-up briefings and technical assistance is also available for as requested.
Email preventiontraining@coag.gov to request an ERPO deeper-dive training supplement for your agency.
Technical assistance
The Attorney General’s Office also provides technical assistance on the implementation of ERPO, LAP, and BTAM within a law enforcement agency’s operation. Such technical assistance can include:
- Facilitating connections with community partners to set up LAP within a community.
- Case consultation to assess whether an ERPO may be appropriate.
- Developing ERPO or LAP protocols.
To request technical assistance, email preventiontraining@coag.gov.