Derek Colling
Service Record
Las Vegas Nevada Metropolitan Police Department
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | September 2005[1] - December 13, 2011.[2] |
| Salary | $108,336 (2010)[3] |
| Last Known Status | Terminated[2] |
Albany County Wyoming Sheriff's Office
| Rank | Deputy |
| Dates of Service | 2012 - June 2, 2021[4] |
| Salary | $53,800 (2020)[5] |
| Last Known Status | Resigned[4] |
Incident Reports
2006 Death of Shawn Collins
In July 2006, Colling and other officers located Collins, who was a domestic violence suspect. Collins pulled a gun from his pocket, prompting Colling and four other officers to fire.[1]
Collins died at the scene.[1]
Response Timeline
A county coroner's jury ruled that the shooting was justified.[1]
2009 Death of Tanner Chamberlain
On September 22, 2009, Colling, his partner Officer Manuel San Martin, Crisis Intervention Team Officer Steven Mauri, and other officers responded to a call of a 15-year-old bipolar male threatening his mother with a knife. When the officers arrived, Chamberlin grabbed his mother while holding the knife. Chamberlain refused officer's commands to drop the knife, used his mother as a shield between himself and the officers, and refused to engage with Mauri. Chamberlain raised the knife and Colling fired, striking Chamberlain.[6]
Chamberlain died.[6]
Part of the incident was captured on a camera attached to San Martin's Taser.[6]
Response Timeline
On November 6, 2009, a county coroner's jury ruled that the shooting was justified.[7]
On May 2, 2011, Chamberlain's family sued Colling and the department for violations of Chamberlain's civil rights to life and security of person, violation of his mother's civil right to familial relationships, and other charges.[6]
A judge denied Colling's claim of qualified immunity, as the version of events most favorable to the plaintiffs might lead a reasonable officer to understand that the use of deadly force was not lawful.[6]
2011 Arrest of Mitchell Crooks
On March 20, 2011, police investigated a burglary across the street from Crooks' home. Crooks was videotaping the police, who told him to stop.[2] Colling grabbed Crooks by the shoulder, threw him down, and kicked and punched him. Crooks' nose was broken.[8]
Colling's arrest report claimed that Crooks grabbed his shoulders "and attempted to take me to the ground".[8]
Crooks was arrested for battery against an officer, trespassing, and resisting arrest.[2]
Part of the incident was captured on Crooks' camera.[2]
Response Timeline
On May 30, 2011, the charges against Crooks were dropped because the police report was vague.[8]
On April 1, 2011, Colling was placed on paid suspension.[2]
In November 2011, Crooks filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Colling. the department, and other officers.[2]
On December 13, 2011, Colling was fired for violating several unnamed department policies.[2]
In March 2012, the department agreed to pay $100,000 to settle Crooks' lawsuit.[9]
2018 Death of Robert Ramirez
On November 4, 2018, Colling stopped Ramirez for a traffic violation. Ramirez pulled away from the stop and drove across the street to his apartment. Colling followed and stopped behind Ramirez's car. Ramirez exited his car, yelling threats at Colling, who ordered Ramirez to put his hands up. Colling fired his Taser, which was ineffective. Colling fired his handgun, striking Ramirez.[10]
Ramirez died.[10]
The incident was partially captured on Colling's body-worn camera and in-vehicle camera.[10]
Response Timeline
In January 2019, a grand jury declined to indict Colling for manslaughter.[11]
In January 2020, Ramirez's mother filed a complaint with the Wyoming Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. The Commission opened an investigation.[4]
In September 2020, Ramirez's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit.[12]
On June 2, 2021, Colling resigned.[4]
In May 2022, the county settled the family's lawsuit for $1.2 million and agreed to continue mental health intervention training for deputies.[12]
LEO Ratings
Public Comments
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lawrence Mower, Officer who shot knife-wielding teen identified, Las Vegas Review Journal, 2009-10-01
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Mike Blasky, Police officer accused of beating videographer fired, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2011-12-13
- ↑ Colling Derek R, Po, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, govSalaries
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Brendan LaChance, Colling, who was involved in three fatal shootings, resigns from Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Oil City News, 2021-06-03
- ↑ Derek Colling, Patrol Corporal, Albany County, govSalaries
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Oquendo v. Las Vegas Metro. Police Dep't, U.S. District Court, 2013-03-28
- ↑ Cara McCoy, Metro officer’s fatal shooting of teen ruled justified, Las Vegas Sun, 2009-11-06
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Las Vegas officer in videotaped arrest suspended, Police1, 2011-04-25
- ↑ Vrian Haynes, Las Vegas police agree to pay $100,000 to beaten videographer, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2012-03-21
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Andrew Graham, Two lives, a police shooting and Laramie torn asunder, WyoFile, 2018-12-18
- ↑ DCI releases report on Laramie police shooting, The Sheridan Press, 2019-05-22
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Tennessee Watson, Albany County paid $1.2M to settle wrongful death lawsuit in Ramirez killing, WyoFile, 2024-01-19
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