Colorado Gov. Jared Polis calls to expand state’s 3-year red flag law

COLORADO (KRDO) -- Colorado Governor Jared Polis is calling to expand the state's three-year red flag law.

Friday, Colorado's District Attorney's offices are meeting in Denver to consider the proposal that would give them the power to seek the removal of weapons from people deemed to be dangerous under the law.

As the red flag law stands now, only law enforcement officers and loved ones can petition a judge for what's known as an extreme risk protection order, which allows the confiscation of guns for at least 14 days and can last an entire year.

Governor Polis wants to extend that power to the top prosecutors in Colorado's 22nd Judicial District.

The mass shooting at Club Q sparked a new discussion about expanding the red flag law.

In June 2021, District Attorney Michael Allen's office filed felony charges against Club Q alleged shooter Anderson Aldrich after a threat and standoff.

A year later, a judge dismissed the case after Aldrich's family refused to testify.

Allen dismissed the idea that the red flag law could have prevented that mass shooting at Club Q.

When discussions of the red flag law happened in 2019, district attorneys were dropped from the list, some opposed being included because they noted efforts to remove guns are handled in civil court. Now, half of them were replaced.

According to 9NEWS, Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty saw it as part of a larger effort to curb gun deaths. However, Allen said he hasn't taken a position on the idea, pointing out that in serious criminal cases, judges issue mandatory protection orders that can remove guns from a suspect.

In January 2020, the red flag law took effect.

From then until mid-November, 9NEWS found that 359 red-flag petitions were filed, with judges granting 228 of them which is about 64%. Data also found that petitions filed by law enforcement officers were more likely to be approved by judges compared to those filed by citizens.