Police-Involved Crimes
Police Officer Crimes
Imagine you are hanging out with some friends and then the Denver police show up and demand entrance into your home. You ask if they have a warrant, and they reply that they do not. You politely tell them to get one before they enter, and instead of getting a warrant, they bust down your front door and charge you with obstruction of a police officer. You, not doing anything wrong, now stand accused of a crime because you exercised a constitutional right. Encounters with the police often result in good people charged with police officer crimes. See our police officer and Miranda rights questions and answers page.
The state of Colorado gives special status to police officers to encourage cooperation in the orderly enforcement of Colorado law. As a result, Colorado police often disrespect the public and make demands offensive to good manners. The police often abuse the special status they are given to make their jobs easier and to gain convictions. In most cases, it is generally best to remain silent and do what police demand. In some cases, though, a polite refusal will preserve your Fourth Amendment constitutional rights.
In the world of criminal law, there exists a very unique category of crimes: crimes involving police officers. Several crimes make up this category. The crimes are:
- Obstruction of a peace officer – C.R.S. 18-8-104
- Resisting arrest – C.R.S. 18-8-103
- False reporting – C.R.S. 18-8-111
- Assault on a police/peace officer – C.R.S. 18-3-203(1)(c)
- Impersonating a police/peace officer – C.R.S. 18-8-112
- Escape – C.R.S. 18-8-208
There are different degrees of punishment involved with each of these offenses, usually dependent on a person’s prior criminal history and whether any injury results to the police or a victim. Some of these crimes are felonies, and some are misdemeanors. Because of the different classifications of severity of the crimes, a criminal lawyer in Arapahoe County, Adams County, Jefferson County, Douglas County, Denver and all other Colorado counties needs to be knowledgeable of the factors influencing district attorneys in those communities. Each county is different and has a different view of certain crimes in that community.
For instance, recently in Denver, there was allegedly a man going around pretending to be an officer (impersonating a peace officer – C.R.S. 18-8-112) and assaulting women. With the local publicity and attention, the district attorney might desire to make a name for him or herself and fight harder against that person for a conviction and stiffer punishment. What you would need, if you are ever involved in a situation like that, is a criminal lawyer in Denver who knows how to fight for your rights against that district attorney on your behalf. You would need someone who knew that area and has experience with publicized cases throughout Colorado.
Each of these police officer crimes is different and requires an experienced criminal lawyer to adequately defend you. The attorneys at Sawyer Legal Group, LLC, have handled these cases many times before. They can mount a strong defense on your behalf. So, if you have been contacted about or charged with any of these crimes, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and call us right away at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.
