Colorado Court Rules Boulder Cannot Charge Fees for Bodycam Footage in Misconduct Cases
The Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled that the City of Boulder cannot charge fees for body camera footage related to officer misconduct complaints. This decision stems from a lawsuit filed by Yellow Scene Magazine after the city demanded over $8,000 for footage of the December 2023 shooting death of Jeanette Alatorre. The court determined that the 2020 Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act, which mandates footage release within 21 days, does not include provisions for fees and supersedes the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act in these specific instances. Judges rejected Boulder's argument that fees were necessary to cover privacy redaction costs, noting the legislature's intentional omission of fee clauses in the newer accountability law. This ruling is hailed by civil rights attorneys and press freedom advocates as a significant victory for police transparency, preventing agencies from using prohibitive costs to shield misconduct evidence. While Boulder evaluates potential appeals to the state Supreme Court, the decision sets a precedent facilitating easier public access to video evidence of police use of force across Colorado.
Wire timeline
Colorado Court Rules Boulder Cannot Charge Fees for Bodycam Footage in Misconduct Cases
The Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled that the City of Boulder cannot charge fees for body camera footage related to officer misconduct complaints. This decision stems from a lawsuit filed by Yellow Scene Magazine after the city demanded over $8,000 for footage of the December 2023 shooting death of Jeanette Alatorre. The court determined that the 2020 Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act, which mandates footage release within 21 days, does not include provisions for fees and supersedes the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act in these specific instances. Judges rejected Boulder's argument that fees were necessary to cover privacy redaction costs, noting the legislature's intentional omission of fee clauses in the newer accountability law. This ruling is hailed by civil rights attorneys and press freedom advocates as a significant victory for police transparency, preventing agencies from using prohibitive costs to shield misconduct evidence. While Boulder evaluates potential appeals to the state Supreme Court, the decision sets a precedent facilitating easier public access to video evidence of police use of force across Colorado.
AP News