Weld County

Colorado officer cleared in deadly February shooting of suspect with gang ties

A law-enforcement officer will not face criminal charges in the deadly February shooting of a suspect with gang ties in northern Colorado, police announced late last week. Greeley Police said that Weld County district attorney made the decision last Monday about an unnamed officer who shot an armed man sitting in a car with a woman at a Section 8 apartment complex on Feb. 26. Released body camera footage showed Ramiro Carrasco reaching for a gun on his lap and throwing it on the ground after being shot, police said. Warning “this body camera footage is graphic and has explicit language,” Greeley police released the disturbing video Thursday on its YouTube page. The 19th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team, a five-year-old group of highly trained and skilled investigators from 24 law enforcement agencies in Weld County working with the DA to probe officer-involved shootings, said the cop was justified in firing at Carrasco after he failed to follow police orders. For safety reasons, the cop was not named given Carrasco’s “very strong and documented ties,” to criminal gangs.

To see the video, click on the text above.  Looks pretty cut and dry.  Bad guy had gun on his lap and was told NOT to move, and he failed to comply.  We’re glad the cop, who was wearing a body cam, won’t face any charges.  From what we can tell, he did this by the book and was professional and clear with his instructions.

Colorado police say fake cops are pulling over drivers to warn them about coronavirus travel restrictions

Police in Colorado are warning that a number of fake cops are out there patrolling the roads in hopes of pulling over drivers to question them about whether they are violating coronavirus travel restrictions. The Weld County Sheriff’s Office says one of the suspects is believed to be driving a black Dodge Charger “that might be equipped with emergency lights in the dash, and may or may not be outfitted with magnetic, law enforcement-type signs on the door.” That individual, described as a heavy-set white man, is reported to have stopped several vehicles in March after the state implemented a stay-at-home order permitting only “essential trips such as grocery shopping or health care appointments”. “For the life of me, I don’t understand why someone would want to do this,” Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams told USA Today. “I don’t think there’s a law enforcement agency in the state that has time to do that kind of thing.” The nearby Greeley Police Department also says they received numerous reports in March from drivers claiming they were “recently pulled over or waved through a funnel type roadblock & questioned for ‘violating the COVID-19 law.’” “We have confirmed that NO GPD Officers, Weld Sheriff Deputies or Colorado State Troopers conducted these traffic stops,” the department said in a Facebook post. “Reports have all described unmarked type vehicles with dashboard mounted red & blue lights; black uniforms with no markings or badge & duty belts with little equipment.” Farther east in Georgia, police in Dawson County and Gainesville have been urging residents to be on the lookout for a suspect in a dark sedan with flashing blue lights, who is believed to have made at least two bogus traffic stops to warn residents about violating coronavirus-related curfews. In each case, the drivers have been told to continue on their way after being questioned. Reams told USA Today that Americans who fear they are being pulled over by an imposter should put on their hazard lights and then call 911 to confirm whether it’s the real deal. “They want to be in some position of power,” he said about the wannabe cops. “It just gives them an opportunity to go out and try and assert some authority or pretend to assert some authority. No good cop likes someone pretending to be a cop.”

No kidding!  Nobody likes to be pulled over in the first place.  If you find yourself in similar situation, and don’t think it’s a real cop, follow the advice above:  Put on your hazards and call 911 to confirm.  Hopefully they find this guy in Weld County and arrest him.

Colorado teacher accused of letting students smash pinata with Trump’s picture

Weld County School District RE-5J issued a statement on their Facebook page Saturday evening addressing accusations that a teacher allowed students to celebrate Cinco de Mayo by smashing a pinata with President Donald Trump’s picture on it. According to the statement, photos circulated by students show the piñata, the piñata tied to a tree, and a student with a bat in hand near the piñata. The name of the teacher involved in the incident has not been released, however the teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the school district that will commence on Monday, May 8. Superintendent Dr. Martin Foster said “This was an incredibly disrespectful act that does not reflect the values of Roosevelt High School or the school district.”

Kudos to Dr. Foster for saying that.  If, in fact, a teacher DID promote such a thing, he/she should be fired.  That is NOT ok.  Just fathom if some teacher had done that to a pinata of Obama..  Yeah..  There would be riots, for crying out loud.