SB21-183 Summary

• Permits civil actions for deprivation of rights to be brought against Colorado State Patrol officers and Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents, in addition to local law enforcement officers.

• Modifies use of force standards to require peace officers to use only the minimum necessary force and clarifies that force may be used to prevent imminent threats from unlawful physical force against the officer or another person.

• Defines "intervene" as a peace officer's action to prevent another officer from using excessive force and establishes failure to intervene as a class 1 misdemeanor when an officer observes unlawful force and has a reasonable opportunity to prevent it.

• Requires suspension or revocation of peace officer certification to be ineffective until the officer has exhausted all internal, contractual, and legal rights to review, challenge, and appeal the underlying finding or decision.

• Expands body-worn camera requirements to all law enforcement agencies by July 1, 2023, and establishes that intentional failure to activate cameras or tampering with footage results in suspension for one year or permanent revocation in cases involving civilian death.