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Larimer County district attorney outlines caseload, competency fix and new victim services
Summary
District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin briefed Fort Collins council on caseload trends, new units for domestic violence and veterans court, efforts to reduce SANE kit backlogs and a bias-motivated crime hotline, and explained a proposed competency bill to close a legal gap.
District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin told the Fort Collins City Council that his office prosecutes the majority of serious crimes in Larimer and Jackson counties and that the office is investing in unit-based supports and data transparency to improve outcomes.
"We served about 5,500 different victims in 2025," McLaughlin said, noting a robust victim-witness program and a large crime-victim compensation budget. He urged council members to review the office's public data dashboard for sentencing and caseload analytics.
McLaughlin described several recent programmatic changes: a newly launched domestic violence unit with a prosecutor, victim advocate and investigator to handle high-risk cases; a veterans court aimed at rehabilitation for defendants with military service and co-occurring needs; and a bias- and hate-motivated crime hotline introduced to improve reporting and trust among vulnerable communities.
On legal reform, McLaughlin summarized a competency 'fix' bill working in the state legislature. He said the current civil-commitment standard creates a narrow gap when a person is incompetent but also demonstrably dangerous; the bill would give judges more discretion to order civil supervision in limited cases and allow prosecutors to advocate in civil commitment proceedings where appropriate.
McLaughlin reminded council that the office handles both high-volume, lower-level matters and fewer but resource-intensive serious felony prosecutions. He flagged several open, high-profile cases in Fort Collins and noted that competency backlogs at state hospitals can slow some prosecutions.
Council members asked about competency law changes and use of automated license-plate reader (ALPR) data; McLaughlin emphasized balancing transparency and privacy controls while noting ALPRs have helped solve homicide cases in Larimer County.
No formal actions were requested of council; McLaughlin offered to meet with members and to continue providing public data that tracks office activity and outcomes.
