Colorado Sheriff vows to sit in jail rather than enforce proposed Red Flag law

Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams told CNN recently he’s willing to be a prisoner in his own jail rather than enforce a law he feels is unconstitutional.

The bill would allow a family member, roommate or law enforcement officer to petition a judge to take someone’s firearms if they’re determined to be a threat to themselves or others. But Sheriff Reams and others believe that bill violates constitutional rights and that it “misses the whole point is trying to bring attention to where the true issue is, and that’s mental health.”

“My fight against this isn’t to protect the firearm itself — it’s not a purely Second Amendment stance. There are so many violations of the Constitution in this bill. Anyone who has an understanding of the Constitution should read this bill and be concerned.”

House Bill 19-1177, also known as a red flag bill or the Extreme Risk Protection Orders bill, passed the Colorado Senate by one vote (18-17) on Thursday and is scheduled Monday for the House floor. With Democratic majorities in both chambers, state Republicans have too few votes to stand in the way. But more than half of Colorado’s 64 counties officially oppose the bill. Many have even declared themselves Second Amendment “sanctuary” counties in protest.