Boulder Reporting Lab: The Boulder Police Department has closed at least 21 complaints against officers before they were reviewed by the city’s independent police monitor or civilian oversight panel under a process in use since late 2025, according to city officials.

Police officials say the new process is meant to help supervisors resolve minor complaints quickly rather than initiate formal investigations that can take months. Examples include allegations that an officer rolled through a stop sign, failed to use a turn signal or behaved rudely. 

But the process also allows the department to resolve complaints before they reach the independent monitor, limiting the monitor’s role in classifying allegations. Some members of the civilian Police Oversight Panel warn that could undercut a system designed to hold police accountable independently of the department itself.

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