Denver, Colorado

In June 2020, a dozen activists filed a civil suit claiming that the Denver Police Department used excessive force during protests against police brutality and racial injustice. A federal judge issued a temporary injunction barring the Police Department from using tear gas, plastic bullets, flash-bang grenades, and other “less-than-lethal” force unless approved by a senior officer in response to specific acts of violence. After a three-week trial, a jury ruled in favor of the activists. While Denver had previously settled civil complaints due to police violence during the 2020 protests, this was the first in the nation to go to trial.

In May 2020, Megan Matthews was at a protest when an officer fired a rubber bullet at her, resulting in two surgeries to repair various injuries to her head. Two days later, Youssef Amghar, a Marine veteran, was protesting in Denver when the police shot pepper balls and threw tear gas canisters at them. Amghar and other protesters sued the City. In February 2022, the Denver City Council agreed to settle Matthews’ case for $575,000 and their portion of Amghar’s case for $250,000. 

Michael Acker was attending a demonstration in Denver, Colorado, in response to the murder of George Floyd when a Denver police officer shot Acker in the eye with a foam projectile. Acker needed stiches and was left with vision problems. He filed a lawsuit in October 2020, and the City settled his case for $500,000.

In June 2020, the City of Denver agreed to limit the use of non-lethal weapons, such as tear-gas, flashbangs, and rubber bullets, in order to settle a pair of lawsuits stemming from protests against police misconduct during the summer.

The lawsuits alleged that members of the Denver Police Department misused non-lethal weapons during Denver’s George Floyd protests. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on the activity, but the order was set to expire in a few days. Prior to the order’s expiration, the city announced an agreement to limit violent police responses to protests. The new agreement requires that only police sergeants or above can approve the use of force and all officers must actively use body cameras when interacting with protestors, among other things.

According to The Denver Post’s review of data provided by the Denver City Attorney’s office, the City of Denver paid nearly $28 million for police and jail claims from 2004 to 2017. During the same time period, 82 percent of all settlements sent to the Denver City Council for approval (a total of $33.7 million) were for police and jail related claims. In September 2019, the Denver City Council approved a settlement total of $500,000 in an excessive force and malicious prosecution lawsuit filed against the Denver Police Department.