Weeding-out the “rough beast” in all of us!

Legislation signed by Colorodo Governor Jared Polis on Friday morning, mandates the following protections from police violence, according to CBS Denver:

• All local and state police officers must wear body cameras by 2023
• Body camera footage must be made public
• Chokeholds are prohibited
• Shooting at fleeing suspects is prohibited
• Deadly force can only be used if a person’s life is imminent danger
• Police must report every instance in which they stop someone who they suspect of a crime; they must also include that person’s race, gender, and ethnicity
• Police must report other officers for wrongdoing
• Officers can be held personally liable for damages up to $25,000 if they are found guilty of violating an individual’s civil rights

Officers can turn off body cameras “to avoid recording personal information that is not case related,” or if they are working undercover or are on an unrelated assignment, according to the bill. They may also turn off their camera “when there is a long break in the incident; and in administrative, tactical, and management discussions.”

However, only three of these protections:

• Chokeholds are prohibited
• Shooting at fleeing suspects is prohibited
• Deadly force can only be used if a person’s life is imminent danger