Denver Police Brutality Lawyer
In Denver, throughout Colorado, and across the United States, there is an epidemic of police officers using unnecessary and excessive force, especially against minorities such as people of color. When police are excessively violent, they should be held accountable for violating victims’ civil rights.
Police brutality can range from harassment, false arrests, assault, and even murder. This misconduct traumatizes victims, their families, and their communities, causing lasting harm and mistrust in law enforcement. The first step in combating police brutality is demanding justice and accountability when it occurs. By taking legal action against the officers and departments responsible for police violence, victims and their families can achieve some sense of justice and financial compensation for their losses.
Were you or a loved one a victim of police brutality?
Attorneys that work with Police Brutality Center may be able to assist you.
Content Last Updated: June 3, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Investigations, lawsuits, and studies repeatedly show that police in Colorado and across the nation unfairly target people of color with excessive force.
- Between 2016 and 2020, Denver had the highest rate of fatal police shootings among the 25 largest U.S. cities, with an average of almost 10 fatal shootings per million residents.
- If you or a loved one has been the victim of police brutality, Police Brutality Center can connect you with an experienced law firm that will help you hold the responsible officers and departments accountable.
Police Brutality in Denver: A Closer Look
Since 2020, the city of Denver has paid more than $30 million in settlements and jury verdicts related to the Denver Police Department. Between 2019 and 2020, the rate of use-of-force incidents by Denver police has nearly doubled, increasing from 28.8 incidents per 1,000 arrests in 2019 to 48 incidents per 1,000 arrests in 2022. The police reported 820 incidents of use of force in 2022, and data shows that Colorado police shot someone roughly every six days in 2024.
Compared to their percentage of the population in Colorado, Black people were disproportionately killed by law enforcement officers in 2024. Nearly 13 percent of people killed by Colorado police in 2024 were Black, despite Black people making up less than 4 percent of the state’s population. Contrarily, while about 70 percent of the state’s population is white, only 50 percent of police killings involved white victims. Despite community activism, calls for reform, and extensive watchdog efforts, the Denver police had the fourth-highest number of officer-involved shootings in the state in 2024.
Legal Rights of Victims of Police Brutality in Denver
Under state and federal law, every U.S. citizen has civil rights that protect them from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, and other factors. Additionally, the Constitution protects citizens from unlawful search and seizure of personal belongings under the Fourth Amendment and provides the right to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. By law, police are generally only permitted to use a reasonable amount of force that another officer would use under the same or similar circumstances.
After experiencing police brutality, victims also may be able to take action under 42 U.S. Code § 1983, which allows citizens to file civil lawsuits against state or local government officials for violating their constitutional or federal statutory rights.
In Colorado, Senate Bill 217 expanded police accountability measures, such as personal liability for officers in civil lawsuits, the use of body cameras, and the prohibition of chokeholds. The act limits the use of physical and deadly force when force is authorized and requires all law enforcement agencies to issue body-worn cameras to officers beginning in 2023.
Why Hire a Denver Police Brutality Attorney?
Police brutality attorneys are civil rights lawyers who stand up for victims against discriminatory police practices, fighting for accountability on behalf of victims and their families. These attorneys are responsible for seeking justice for those whose rights were violated by police.
Working with a Denver police brutality attorney can drastically increase the efficiency of your case and its chances of success. Your attorney can assist with the following tasks, among others:
- Legal research with a specialized knowledge of state and federal civil rights laws
- Gathering evidence and securing expert witnesses
- Navigating qualified immunity and governmental defense strategies
- Holding individual officers, police departments, or municipalities accountable
- Filing lawsuits to pursue full compensation
- Negotiating settlements outside of court or litigating cases at trial
The Legal Process
The first step in pursuing a police brutality lawsuit is contacting an experienced attorney for a free consultation to discuss your legal options and expectations for the case. Next, you may wish to file a complaint or report with the appropriate state or federal agencies, such as the Colorado Civil Rights Division or the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. This report may prompt the prosecution or punishment of the officers involved, but it also can serve as evidence in a civil lawsuit.
Your attorney will work with you to gather as much evidence as possible of the police misconduct, including body or dashboard camera footage, police reports, witness testimony, medical records, and more. If you have enough evidence to file a case, they will file a lawsuit on your behalf, then work to negotiate a settlement or litigate the case at trial.
Potential Compensation in a Civil Rights Case
When courts find that the police have violated civil rights standards, the officer and the police department may be subject to financial damages. You may be able to recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, emotional suffering, and more through a civil action. In cases of severe misconduct, the court also may award punitive damages to the victim to punish those responsible for the brutality and deter future misconduct.
Denver has paid tens of millions of dollars in jury awards and settlements to police brutality victims in recent years, especially after the widespread protests that occurred after the killing of George Floyd in 2020. In February 2025, the Denver City Council approved a $2.5 million settlement for 13 protestors, who filed a lawsuit in 2022 after the Denver police inappropriately used tear gas, bean-bag rounds, and other “less-lethal” weapons, causing significant injuries. Similarly, in March 2022, a jury awarded 12 protestors $14 million over the Denver Police Department’s usage of less-lethal weapons.
Get Legal Help for Police Brutality in Denver
Excessive force and racial profiling by police in Denver and nationwide must not be tolerated. At Police Brutality Center, it is our mission to end the violations of your civil rights caused by the people sworn to serve and protect you, your family, and your community. If you or a loved one was a victim of police brutality or misconduct in Denver, you have legal rights and options for pursuing justice.
To learn more and get legal help, contact Police Brutality Center today for a free consultation.
