Colorado State Archives

Executive Orders from the Administration of Governor Bill Owens 1999-2005

OWENS DIRECTS STATE PATROL TO ENFORCE NO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR RACIAL PROFILING

DENVER – Gov. Bill Owens today signed an executive order directing the Colorado State Patrol and all other Colorado executive agencies or departments to take measures to ensure that racial profiling in law enforcement is not tolerated. These measures include examining procedures, refining anti-bias instruction, and expanding diversity training and community outreach.

"Colorado has a proud history of recognizing individual rights and discouraging treatment along racial lines," said Gov. Owens. "I encourage state and local enforcement agencies to examine their practices in light of the abuses discovered in other jurisdictions."

In recent weeks, racial profiling has come under scrutiny after abuses were discovered within law enforcement agencies. There is no indication that any Colorado agency or department is engaging in racial profiling.

Governor Owens supports proposed guidelines by the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board that would allow all law enforcement agents certified within Colorado to receive anti-bias training. This training would be comprised of specialized courses focused on expanding a person’s objectivity regarding cultural differences and reduce bias perceptions by exploring the potential biases faced by individuals from diverse communities. The Colorado State Patrol is holding community meetings to address these concerns.

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