ONLY ON NEWS FIVE...
THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS HAS PAID OUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SETTLEMENTS RELATED TO OFFICER MISCONDUCT...
BUT NEWS FIVE INVESTIGATES FOUND IN COLORADO THE PUBLIC IS OFTEN KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT WHAT, IF ANYTHING, HAPPENS TO THOSE OFFICERS.
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER PATRICK NELSON IS LOOKING INTO A BILL MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD
ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS COMPLETED INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS.
IF PASSED, THIS BILL WOULD
SHED LIGHT ON HOW POLICE, POLICE THEMSELVES.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE OFTEN WITHHOLD INTERNAL AFFAIRS RECORDS-- MEANING THE PUBLIC HAS NO IDEA WHETHER OFFICERS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR
ACTIONS.
THIS BILL HAS GAINED BOTH SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION--- TONIGHT- WE BRING YOU BOTH SIDES.
IN 2015, TWO MEN WERE PULLED OVER FOR A TRAFFIC STOP BY COLORADO SPRINGS POLICE OFFICERS.
BENJAMIN BROWN-- THE DRIVER, WAS ASKED TO STEP OUT OF THE CAR AND WAS PLACED IN HANDCUFFS.
HIS BROTHER RYAN PULLED OUT HIS PHONE AND STARTED RECORDING.
THE OFFICERS THEN TOOK RYAN FROM THE CAR AND PUT HIM IN HANDCUFFS AS WELL.
JOHN KRIEGER / ACLU OF COLORADO "HE WAS PULLED FROM HIS VEHICLE, THROWN TO THE GROUND, HIS FACE WAS PUSHED INTO THE SNOW AND HIS CAMERA WAS TAKEN OUT OF HIS HAND AND THROWN ONTO CONCRETE,"
THIS INTERACTION LED TO A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT AND ULTIMATELY THE BROWNS SETTLED WITH THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS-- THE CITY PAYING OUT MORE THAN $200 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SIX MONTHS AFTER THE SETTLEMENT WITH THE BROWNS, ANOTHER POLICE ENCOUNTER IN COLORADO SPRINGS WOULD PROMPT A NEW LAWSUIT.
TYRRELL CLAYTON WAS RECORDING VIDEO OUTSIDE OF THE FALCON SUBSTATION IN NOVEMBER OF 2017 WHEN HE WAS APPROACHED BY OFFICERS WHO SAID HE WAS ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY.
THE OFFICERS TOOK CLAYTON'S CAMERA AND DETAINED HIM.
HE SUED AND THE CITY SETTLED THE CASE FOR $41,000.
THERE'S ALSO A CASE INVOLVING
ALEXIS ACKER-- SHE WAS ARRESTED IN NOVEMBER 2013, AFTER REPORTEDLY INTERFERING WITH THE ARREST OF HER BOYFRIEND, WHO HAD A WARRANT.
ACKER WAS TAKEN TO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WHERE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CAPTURED COLORADO SPRINGS POLICE OFFICER TYLER WALKER SLAMMING ACKER TO THE FLOOR.
ACKER SUFFERED INJURIES TO HER FACE AND SUED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE CITY SETTLED FOR $100,000.
CASES LIKE THIS NOW HAVE THE ATTENTION OF STATE LAW MAKERS.
REP.
DAVE WILLIAMS / R COLORADO SPRINGS 13:57:12 "WHY CAN'T WE KNOW WHY THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS PAID OUT $100,000 TO ALEXIS
ACKER? WE DON'T KNOW WHY AND THAT JUST BUILDS AND BREEDS MISTRUST." STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVE WILLIAMS SAYS HE'S SUPPORTING A BILL THAT WOULD OPEN UP THIS
INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
REP.
DAVE WILLIAMS / R COLORADO SPRINGS 13:52:16 "THIS IS ACTUALLY A MODEST BILL WE ARE TRYING TO GET PASSED HERE AND AGAIN ALL IT
DOES IS IT ALLOWS FOR THESE INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS ONCE THEY ARE COMPLETED TO BE OPENED UP TO PUBLIC SCRUITINY AND EVEN WITH THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN STILL REDACT
PERSONAL INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PROTECTING POLICE OFFICERS AND NO UNDUE HARM COMES TO THEM." DONALD SISSON REPRESENTS THE COLORADO FRATERNAL ORDER OF
POLICE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE "FOP".
THIS ORGANIZATION OPPOSES THE BILL.
DONALD SISSON / ATTORNEY, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE 12:39:34 "SOMETIMES THE OFFICER'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC'S NEED TO KNOW AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T
AND SO THE FOP'S POSITION IS WE THINK THE SYSTEM WORKS PERFECTLY FINE."
AS IT STANDS NOW-- LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE GIVEN WIDE DISCRETION ON WHAT INFORMATION THEY DON'T HAVE TO RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC.
SISSON SAYS IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T LIKE IT THEY CAN TAKE IT TO COURT.
DONALD SISSON / ATTORNEY, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE 12:40:44 "IF THE JUDGE DECIDES THAT IT SHOULD BE DISCLOSED, GREAT.
BUT WE ARE STANDING FIRM ON WE SHOULD STILL HAVE, THE OFFICER SHOULD STILL HAVE SOME PRIVACY INTEREST." THE BILL THAT WOULD OPEN INTERNAL AFFAIRS REPORTS TO THE
PUBLIC PASSED THE HOUSE AND NOW HEADS TO THE SENATE.
IF PASSED, THE BILL WOULD ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO INSPECT COMPLETED INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
SISSON BELIEVES INTERNAL AFFAIRS FILES SHOULD REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND HE FEARS THIS BILL COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ABILITY TO RECRUIT NEW OFFICERS.
DONALD SISSON / ATTORNEY, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE 40:04 "IT'S JUST BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO WANT TO REMAIN POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY ARE
SUBJECT TO SUCH SCRUTINY." BUT LAWMAKERS ARGUE TRANSPARENCY WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC TRUST AND HOLD OFFICERS MORE ACCOUNTABLE.
REP.
DAVE WILLIAMS / R COLORADO SPRINGS 13:53:12 "WE ARE RAISING STANDARDS AND I THINK WHEN YOU SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAY
IT'S GOING TO ATTRACT THE BEST THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY." TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP-- RIGHT NOW 14 STATES ALREADY
HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS GIVING
THE THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERNAL AFFAIRS RECORDS.
THOSE STATES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GOLD.
THE QUESTION IS-- WILL COLORADO BE NEXT?? I REACHED OUT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET THEIR TAKE ON THIS BILL-- THEY TELL ME THEY'LL WAIT
TO SEE IF THE BILL PASSES BEFORE MAKING A COMMENT.
WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE PROGRESS OF THIS BILL BOTH ON-AIR AND ONLINE AT KOAA.COM ALWAYS WATCHING OUT