Obstructing a Peace Officer in Larimer County
Is Taking a Video of an Officer Obstruction?

A reporter was charged with officer Obstruction after recording an officer and allegedly not identifying herself as a reporter. Read more about this case here.

Peace officer Obstruction is an easily charged crime in Fort Collins and Larimer County. This is because it leaves the discretion to the actual officer as to what conduct constitutes obstructing, impairing, or hindering. A reporter covering a protest was recently arrested and charged with Obstruction of a Peace Officer after the officer claimed she never identified herself as a reporter and recorded the officer. Apparently, the officer didn’t like being recorded – which begs the question, what was he doing that he didn’t want to be recorded? But, that’s an issue for another day. It was later proven, through video, that the reporter very clearly identified herself correctly and was wearing proper credentials easily seen around her neck. The police department claimed that if she was close enough to the officer to be grabbed, then she was too close. So, there you have it. Apparently being near a police officer now constitutes officer Obstruction.

Fort Collins Officer Obstruction Attorney: Definition of Obstructing a Peace Officer in Larimer County, Colorado

The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Obstructing a Peace Officer – C.R.S. 18-8-104 – is:

A person commits obstructing a peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical service provider, rescue specialist, or volunteer when, by using or threatening to use violence, force, physical interference, or an obstacle, such person knowingly obstructs, impairs, or hinders the enforcement of the penal law or the preservation of the peace by a peace officer, acting under color of his or her official authority; knowingly obstructs, impairs, or hinders the prevention, control, or abatement of fire by a firefighter, acting under color of his or her official authority; knowingly obstructs, impairs, or hinders the administration of medical treatment or emergency assistance by an emergency medical service provider or rescue specialist, acting under color of his or her official authority; or knowingly obstructs, impairs, or hinders the administration of emergency care or emergency assistance by a volunteer, acting in good faith to render such care or assistance without compensation at the place of an emergency or accident.

Again, the terms used to describe the acts are vague. It’s likely the officer would claim that her being so close to him ‘hindered’ his ability to do his job. It’s amazing to me that some officers feel they have the authority to violently throw people to the ground and detain them for hours because they got near to them.

 Sentence for Obstruction of a Police Officer in Loveland and Estes Park

In Fort Collins, Loveland and Estes Park, Police Officer Obstruction is a class 2 misdemeanor. This level misdemeanor is punishable by 3 months to 364 days in the Larimer County Jail and up to $1,000 in fines. So, the lesson here – don’t go anywhere near an officer, because you might just end up spending almost a year in jail.


If you or someone you love has been charged with Obstructing a Police Officer, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.

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