State lawmakers are continuing to advance their police reform proposals, with two measures passing committee Tuesday.
Two bipartisan bills in the police reform package passed the House Judiciary committee with unanimous support. One would require an outside law enforcement agency to help investigate when there’s an officer-involved shooting, a policy most departments in the state already follow.
The other bill would make it easier for law enforcement agencies to find out whether a job applicant has a record of past misconduct. Both bills have broad law enforcement support.
"We call this the bad apple bill, and we like it a lot," said Peg Ackerman, lobbyist for the County Sheriffs of Colorado.
A Senate committee is scheduled to hear two more police oversight bills on Wednesday. One would ban the use of chokeholds in most situations. The other would allow the courts to order the prosecution of an officer who kills or injures someone, even if the district attorney doesn’t pursue charges.
Those bills are sponsored by Democrats and are likely to face a difficult time in the Republican-dominated committee.
