The Greeley Tribune

Colorado Legislature, Public Records Laws July 15, 2020

A groundbreaking 2019 law opened records on police internal affairs investigations. The legislature could make the disciplinary process even more transparent.

Incidents in Colorado and elsewhere show the limitations of HB 19-1119 as a tool of transparency, accountability and for building trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. More could be done to ensure the public knows when officers are accused of misconduct or of using excessive force, how those allegations are investigated and whether and how discipline is imposed.

Court Records, Public Records Laws April 2, 2020

Some Colorado governments put public records requests on the back burner during the pandemic

Some government entities in Colorado are delaying responses to public records requests because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the disruption of day-to-day transparency obligations so far doesn’t seem as severe here as in other parts of the country.

Public Records Laws October 4, 2018

Court in Watts case is wrong venue to decide access to autopsies, media groups and CFOIC say

A judge should deny the prosecutors’ motion to keep autopsy reports from the public in the Frederick triple homicide case because the criminal court lacks jurisdiction to decide that question, a media coalition and the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition argued.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2018, Public Records Laws April 19, 2018

Colorado bill would open records on completed police internal affairs investigations

Colorado would join a dozen other states that require public disclosure of internal records on police misconduct under legislation introduced in the House.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2017, Court Records, Open Meetings Laws, Public Records Laws December 26, 2017

Modernizing CORA, Ralphie’s whereabouts and ‘a shot of tequila’: CFOIC looks back at 2017

In a year that featured plenty of freedom-of-information lowlights, Colorado lawmakers in 2017 provided a welcome ray of sunshine – a helpful new tool in the never-ending quest for government transparency. Senate Bill 17-040, which modernized the Colorado Open Records Act, was one of many topics featured on CFOIC’s blog and news feed in 2017.

Public Records Laws November 10, 2017

Denver denies open records request for call logs tied to a city-issued cellphone

The Colorado Open Records Act defines public records to include “all writings made, maintained, or kept” by government or agency. But are records related to a government-issued cellphone disclosable under CORA if the city has access to them but doesn’t maintain them?