By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Colorado Governor Jared Polis granted clemency to a man convicted of shooting a Douglas County deputy in 2008, making him eligible for parole after serving 15 years.
• The former deputy who was shot, Todd Tucker, criticized the decision as disrespectful and demoralizing to law enforcement.
• Brandin Kreuzer had been sentenced to 50 years for the shooting and related crime spree that included robberies and thefts.
• The governor cited sentencing disparity and positive conduct in prison as reasons for clemency.
• Local law enforcement officials expressed concern about the message the clemency sends regarding accountability for crimes against officers.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLO. — A former Douglas County deputy denounced Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ decision to grant clemency to the man convicted of shooting him nearly two decades ago, officials said.
Polis on May 15 issued clemency for Brandin Kreuzer, who was sentenced in 2010 to 50 years in prison after he and a co-defendant engaged in a string of robberies, car thefts and burglaries that culminated in the shooting of then-Deputy Todd Tucker. Kreuzer will be eligible for parole beginning June 1.
Tucker, now a law enforcement officer in Maryland, said the clemency decision was “an insult to me, my family, and every law enforcement officer” and criticized its timing, noting the governor announced it on a day set aside to honor fallen officers.
Governor Polis cited the length of Kreuzer’s original sentence and his positive behavior while incarcerated — including earning college credits and founding a fitness program — as factors in granting clemency.
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly read Tucker’s statement at a press conference and said the decision sends a “dangerous and demoralizing message” about attempts to murder law enforcement.
Polis’ clemency action means Kreuzer will be able to pursue parole after serving about 15 years of his 50-year sentence; his co-defendant continues to serve a 45-year term.