George Floyd Death: 22 Colorado DAs Call For Justice, Reforms

The Colorado District Attorneys' Council, which represents all district attorneys in our state, released a statement Thursday amid ongoing protests against the death of George Floyd.

The council oversees personnel training, legislative drafting and liaison, legal research, management assistance, case tracking and dissemination of data to other criminal justice agencies.

Penned by Tom Raynes, the council's executive director, the letter calls for "immediate" changes in the state's criminal justice system:

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CDAC and prosecutors across Colorado are united in the call for justice for George Floyd and support meaningful change within our criminal justice system. District attorneys in this state believe that there is an immediate need and real opportunity for us all to agree on several significant reforms that directly relate to the issues brought to light by that horrific event.

District attorneys and many in the law enforcement community believe any peace officer who is convicted of inappropriate use of force should be terminated and support the elimination of the fleeing felon rule, banning the use of chokeholds by peace officers, increasing the use of body cams and creating a statewide tracking system within the Attorney General’s office of officers who are untruthful, decertified or terminated. We also encourage creating a duty for officers to intervene when another officer is violating the law.

These changes in law can happen in the next week if legislators will come together on these issues with bipartisan support and not let areas of disagreement derail the good we can accomplish in this moment. We are committed to achieving these things together now and continuing to push for other meaningful reforms in the very near future. CDAC and prosecutors across the state are dedicated to working in collaboration with legislators, law enforcement, stakeholders and the people we serve across Colorado to create safer communities for all in our state.

Thousands of protesters have been gathering each day in Denver over the past week to march against Floyd's death. Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis May 25.

>> All Four Minneapolis Officers Charged As Protests Continue