Colorado Springs settles excessive force lawsuit for $175,000
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- 13 Investigates has learned a settlement agreement has been reached in an excessive force lawsuit filed by a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestor against a Colorado Springs Police Officer that wrote "KILL EM ALL" on a KRDO live stream of a BLM protest.
The settlement agreement shows that the City of Colorado Springs will pay out $175,000 to settle the lawsuit and will update the Colorado Springs Police Department's policy handbook regarding crowd dispersal and police force incidents.
Celia Palmer filed the lawsuit over an incident that was separate from the protest that sparked Wrede's "KILL 'EM ALL" comments. The lawsuit alleges that Wrede "ambushed" Palmer, slammed her to the ground "for no reason," and arrested her "in a blatant attempt to cover up" excessive use of force against another BLM protester on June 2, 2020.
The settlement agreement says by March 1 the City of Colorado Springs will include to following language in the CSPD policies:
• Dispersal warnings are mandatory, prior to utilizing less-lethal tools or force to
disperse a crowd.
• Prior to using force, an officer shall identify himself or herself as a peace officer.
The officer shall give a clear verbal warning of their intent to use force. If the
warning is related to deadly force, the officer will specifically warn of the
impending use of firearms or other deadly physical force, if possible. A warning
must be given with sufficient time for the warning to be observed. The officer is
not required to give this warning when doing so would unduly place officers at risk
of injury and/or would create a risk of death or injury to other persons. When a
warning cannot be given in a situation where force is used, the officer will
document the reasons why in the case report.
A spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Police Department tells 13 Investigates the second noted policy had been in the agency's handbook since September 2020.
13 Investigates has reached out to the City of Colorado Springs for an interview or comment on the settlement.
“The City of Colorado Springs chose to settle this case in the interests of its taxpayers. The cost of litigation is a consideration in making settlement decisions. In regard to this matter, no court found any wrongdoing by the officers involved," Mayor John Suthers said in a statement.
