ORS: Dashboard-Crime & Policing Home
CO Population Crime Rates Arrests & Filings Contacts & Use of Force
The Office of Research and Statistics (ORS) is mandated to report data submitted by law enforcement on contacts and use of force (pursuant to §24-31-903, C.R.S and the related bills, S.B. 20-217, H.B. 21-1250, and H.B. 21-1142, collectively referenced as the "Colorado Law Enforcement Integrity Act). The data submitted for reporting include: contacts, use of force, unannounced entry, police-involved deaths, and police officer resignations while under investigation for violations of agency policy (see additional "Background" information below).
To submit Contacts & Use of Force data, see Data Submission: Contacts & Use of Force FAQ.
Report Document
Report on Contacts and Use of Force in Colorado (2022)
Data Dashboards
Contacts & Use of Force Dashboards
The dashboards (which may require several seconds to load) are structured into two sections: Law Enforcement Contacts and Law Enforcement Use of Force.
Background
Law Enforcements Contacts and Use of Force each play a different, yet important, role in the reporting related to the Colorado Law Enforcement Integrity Act.
Contacts
These incidents represent each individual contact reported by law enforcement. Pursuant to §24-31-901 (1), C.R.S., “'[c]ontact' means an in-person interaction with an individual, whether or not the person is in a motor vehicle, initiated by a peace officer, whether consensual or non-consensual, for the purpose of enforcing the law or investigating possible violations of the law. 'Contact' does not include routine interactions with the public at the point of entry or exit from a controlled area; a non-investigatory and consensual interaction with a member of the public, initiated by a member of the public, unless and until the interaction progresses into an investigation of a possible violation of the law; a motorist assist; undercover interactions; or routine interactions with persons detained in a jail or detention facility" [emphases added]. Additional details regarding the "contact data" reporting requirements can be found in §24-31-903(2)(c) and (d), C.R.S.
Use of Force
These incidents represent all uses of force by peace officers that were reported by a law enforcement agency that resulted in death or serious bodily injury or that involve the use of a weapon. Pursuant to §24-31-903(2)(a), C.R.S., a variety of data regarding any "use of force" incident must be reported and, for example, includes incident location, demographics of person contacted, type of force, severity and nature of any injury to person(s) contacted or to peace officer(s), and use of weapon(s) by person contacted or peace officer(s). Use of a weapon includes unholstering, brandishing, or discharging a weapon during an incident. The statute defines a weapon as a “firearm, long gun, Taser, baton, nunchucks, or projectile weapons.” Once a weapon is unholstered or brandished, even if not discharged, then it becomes a reportable "use of force" incident. The FBI Use-of-Force reporting differs by requiring the discharge of a weapon. This Use of Force Data Collection: Quick Reference provides a brief comparison of the data collection differences between the Federal Use-of-Force data and the Colorado: Law Enforcement Integrity data (see also, this FBI informational flyer, National Use–of–Force Data Collection, and additional information below).
Additional Information on Data Collection
Colorado: Law Enforcement Integrity/Contacts & Use of Force
See the "Definition of Terms" at ORS: Data Submission-Contacts & Use of Force FAQ.
Federal Use-of Force
See information available at these sources:
- FBI Use-of-Force: Terms & Definition (Bureau of Justice Statistics website)
- FBI National Use-of-Force Data Collection (FBI website)
- VIDEO: FBI National Use-of-Force Data Collection (FBI website)
- FBI Crime Data Explorer (FBI website)