Colorado Excessive Force Lawsuit Settled for $125K

Fort Collins, Colo. has reached a $125,000 settlement with a woman who sued the city after an off-duty police officer pinned her to the ground outside her apartment complex.

The Coloradoan reports a city spokeswoman confirmed the settlement with Kimberly Chancellor, who sued after the October 2017 encounter.

Police say the officer was riding his personal motorcycle to an assignment when he saw Chancellor speeding in traffic, so he followed her to her apartment. Chancellor says she was “extremely nervous” about an unfamiliar man following her and ignored him because she feared for her safety.

Her lawsuit says the officer grabbed her arm, shoved his badge in her face and pulled her back toward her car while demanding her license and registration. He is accused of throwing her to the pavement and pinning her to the ground.

An internal police department review and a probe by the Citizen Review Board determined the officer violated policies during the arrest, but only the Citizen Review Board determined that he used unnecessary force.