The Backlog:

Colorado

On June 5, 2013, Colorado became the third state to enact legislation requiring the counting and testing of rape kits booked into evidence. The legislation included almost $7 million to clear the state's backlog. In 2012, a reporter had uncovered hundreds of untested kits at police departments in the Denver area alone. In the months following the law's enactment, police departments from across the state submitted inventories indicating a total of 6,283 previously untested kits. As of November 2013, 32 departments had yet to report their numbers.

For more information about reforms happening in Colorado, click here. 

  • Backlog Status

Count
Partially Counted
Testing
In Testing
Resolved
Not Cleared
Size
6,283*

*As of November 2013, ABC7 reported 6,283 untested kits across Colorardo.

  • Reform Status

Tracking Testing Victim Notification
No Known Reform
Reform in Progress
Partial Reform
Complete Reform

  • Additional Information

In addition to what we know about the backlog in Denver, there is also information about the backlog from other jurisdictions in the state. 

After Colorado passed legislation requiring the counting and testing of rape kits booked into evidence, Aurora reported having 416 previously untested kits. Greeley reported having 366 previously untested kits. With 1,212 untested kits in its custody, Colorado Springs possessed nearly 20 percent of the state's total untested kits. 

In June 2014, the Aurora Police Department announced comprehensive changes in its evidence retention and storage policies. A panel formed after the Department acknowledged it had destroyed evidence improperly in 48 sexual assault cases recommended the Department not destroy any evidence going forward, upgrade its storage facilities, restructure its property unit staff to include civilian staff members and increase training for property unit employees.  

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