Obstructing or Obstruction of a Fort Collins Police Officer or Sheriff is a common occurrence. In fact, if a Peace Officer does not get the level of cooperation they desire on most any front, they will charge Obstructing a Peace Officer, C.R.S. 18-8-104. Often, this crime is a companion of Resisting Arrest, C.R.S. 18-8-103, in Larimer County.
Known sometimes simply as Obstruction, Obstructing a Peace Officer is alleged when a person is said to be “using or threatening to use violence, force, physical interference, or an obstacle, and 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.” This crime can also be committed under similar circumstances against a firefighter, emergency medical service provider or rescue specialist (paramedic), or volunteer furnishing emergency care or assistance.
This Offense is Purposefully Vague
Note that the elements of this crime are purposefully written vaguely. Terms such as “physical interference,” “obstacle,” “obstructs,” “impairs,” and “hinders” are all nearly impossible to define or predict relative to the infinite number of circumstances accompanying human interaction. For example, imagine a man who does not want police in his fenced warehouse yard and refuses to open the gate. Has he created an obstacle? Did he obstruct the officers? Did he use physical interference (the gate) to hinder the Larimer County Sheriff’s Deputy or police?
[pullquote align=”center” textalign=”center” width=”75%”]Police often push boundaries. Stand firm in your rights![/pullquote]Police Bullying: Obstructing a Peace Officer
Law enforcement officers will bully or pressure citizens into doing things they are not lawfully required to do in order to obtain statements and get access to private property. Officers are rewarded for getting evidence which is useful in the prosecution of cases, so they push boundaries. Our constitutional rights are in jeopardy and conflict with this process. Inevitably, officers will charge Obstructing a Peace Officer or Obstruction if men and women stand firm under constitutional law. In these cases, you need a criminal defense lawyer committed to the defense of your rights.
We have been practicing law for over twenty years – defending men and women like you from local and state government. Our experienced criminal defense lawyers are equipped to defend you under the Colorado and U.S. Constitutions, and Colorado statutory law. Don’t go it alone in this complicated and unfamiliar world. Get our team behind you. If contacted by the Loveland, Fort Collins or Estes Park Police, exercise your right to remain silent and call us at 970-658-0007. Together, we can protect your future.
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Helpful Resources:
- Visit the Larimer County Sheriff’s website
- Resisting Arrest – C.R.S. 18-8-103