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From COVID-19 to wildfires to protests and new police reform legislation, officers in Colorado have been dealing with compounding stressors recently.

Police officers often respond to mental health-related calls, but don't always have the skills or time to fully deal with these issues. That鈥檚 where co-responder teams 鈥� consisting of an officer and a mental health clinician 鈥� come in.

A bill crafted partly in response to the death of Elijah McClain that places limits on when paramedics can sedate people with ketamine is on the desk of Gov. Jared Polis for his consideration. Yet House Bill 1251 faces ongoing opposition from police, fire and emergency services groups. Supporters say it will ban paramedics from using the powerful drug in situations where officers wrongfully seek to subdue people.

In Loveland, after body camera footage showing the violent arrest of a woman with dementia came out last month, one area of focus is training standards.

鈥淚 remember my uncle calling me and he said, 鈥業 need you to sit down,鈥欌�� Maestas recalled through tears. 鈥淎nd I knew right when he said that, something was wrong with Elisha.鈥�

How far has America come in enacting meaningful police reform since George Floyd鈥檚 murder nearly one year ago? That question faces renewed scrutiny with the rare verdict against ex-police officer Derek Chauvin. Nearly 1,000 miles from Minnesota, criminal justice experts say Colorado has set a bold example for the entire nation when it comes to impactful police reform.

In dozens of Colorado communities, co-responder teams respond to emergency calls helping de-escalate, evaluate and connect people in crisis with services instead of jail time. Law enforcement leaders say these programs and indispensable and need to expand.

Like most of us, police want people to understand their perspective. And if they see a problem, they want to be part of the solution. Sometimes that involves leaving the force and looking at policing from the outside. In the final part of the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau's series, "Elevated Risk: Police Violence in the Mountain West," Madelyn Beck talked with some of those former officers to get their insights.

This is the fourth story in the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau series " Elevated Risk ," a project powered by America Amplified , a public radio initiative....

For months people have been protesting against police brutality. At the same time, Denver has been experimenting with removing police from some emergency situations and sending in unarmed mental health professionals instead.