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Eighteenth Judicial District CERT explains procedures for officer‑involved shootings and in‑custody deaths
Summary
The district attorney’s office and Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office briefed commissioners on the Critical Incident Response Team (CERT): statutory duties, multi‑agency structure, Force Science training, evidence‑preservation practices, body‑camera and interview timing, and the DA’s role in issuing public letters or referring cases to a grand jury.
The Eighteenth Judicial District’s Critical Incident Response Team (CERT) briefed the Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, outlining how multi‑agency investigations of officer‑involved shootings and certain in‑custody deaths are handled.
Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley and Lieutenant Johnny (Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office) described CERT as a multi‑agency, rotating investigative team created under state law that conducts independent, fact‑finding investigations into use‑of‑force incidents. Brackley summarized the statutory history and recent 2022 revisions that expanded the legal requirement to cover not only shootings but other fatal incidents occurring during law enforcement actions.
Lieutenant Johnny (who coordinates investigators) described CERT’s structure: three rotating teams led by agencies with major‑crimes capacity (for example, Aurora, Arapahoe County, and the Warra police department) and additional participating agencies. Members are selected by their agencies and are expected to complete advanced Force Science training to serve as lead investigators.
CERT practitioners explained that two investigations run in parallel: CERT’s independent use‑of‑force fact‑finding and the host agency’s criminal investigation. Investigators typically wait two to three "sleep cycles" before interviewing involved officers; agencies vary on whether officers view body‑camera footage before their interviews. "For us, we allow that," the lieutenant said of body‑cam viewing. The presenters said interviews are conducted with officers’ legal counsel present and that the district attorney is present at key stages so the DA’s office can assess whether charges are warranted.
On transparency and public reporting, the DA’s office said that if it decides not to file criminal charges, statute requires a written letter explaining that decision and that those letters are posted on the office website; prosecutors may also consider grand‑jury review in complex or high‑profile cases.
Commissioners raised questions about public communications by agency leaders during an active investigation, coroner response times, scene control and evidence preservation, and the availability of post‑incident mental‑health evaluation and fitness‑for‑duty protocols. Presenters said coroner control of remains and differing CSI protocols across jurisdictions can delay scene closure but stressed evidence preservation is essential.
Presenters encouraged commissioners to contact CERT with follow‑up questions and offered to attend further briefings as cases or policy questions arise.
