CIRT investigates shootings that involve police officers

When a police shooting occurs it is to be investigated by a team whose framework was created by the state legislature. What happened at an RTD bus where an officer opened fire is now the subject of what's called a CIRT investigation, or Critical Incident Response Team.

Aurora police won't be involved because an officer fired a gun. The team's report will end up in the hands of Adams County District Attorney Brian Mason. He says he will trust the findings.

"I do, I do. The CIRT team is made up of independent agencies whose officers were not involved in the incident we are investigating."  

He will also be looking at last week's incident in Broomfield where a police officer was injured while a murder suspect was shot and killed, but David Lane, a defense attorney who sues police departments says he does not trust CIRT findings. 

"You know it's all the good ol' boys whitewash network. Giving the illusion of independence and fairness." 

The CIRT teams are made up of individuals from within the judicial district including detectives, crime scene investigators, victims advocates and others. 

Mason says he is the one who evaluates the findings, "I can assure the conclusion is not foregone. I ultimately make the decision. The CIRT team does not make the decision on whether to charge an officer." 

Mason says he receives no recommendations, just evidence and information about the incident. 

"You have no remedy when you are the victim of a police whitewash other than file a civil rights lawsuit," Lane said.

One of his cases involves a rifle Colorado police officer who shot a man to death. The officer was not criminally charged, but a civil lawsuit against the officer in town is now going to a federal court jury.