The state’s new online curriculum, launched by the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, aims to guide healthcare and mental health professionals through the “Red Flag” Gun Confiscation petition process, raising concerns among gun owners about increased scrutiny and potential misuse.
Colorado’s “Red Flag” Gun Confiscation law, known as the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), allows certain individuals to petition courts to temporarily remove firearms from someone deemed a risk, a process that many gun owners view as a direct threat to their Second Amendment rights.
Initially passed in 2019, the law permitted only family members, household members, and law enforcement to file “Red Flag” petitions, but its 2023 expansion to include educators, district attorneys, and healthcare providers broadens the scope, alarming gun owners .
If granted, a “Red Flag” order forces an individual to surrender their firearms and ammunition, which gun owners argue violates their Constitutional protections without due process.
The curriculum, introduced in June 2025, is seen by critics as a tool to expand the use of “Red Flag” orders, potentially targeting law-abiding gun owners based on subjective claims.
Gun owners argue that the law’s vague criteria for “risk” could lead to arbitrary or politically motivated petitions — stripping them of their firearms without clear evidence of wrongdoing.
Gun rights supporters assert that it undermines the presumption of innocence, as petitioners—now including a wider range of professionals — including doctors and other health professionals — can initiate “Red Flag” Gun Confiscation orders based on unproven allegations.
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, Colorado affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights, sent out an email, alerting its members, saying:
“Going to the wrong doctor, exhibiting the wrong behavior, and disclosing that you own firearms could lead to the police kicking in your door at 4 A.M., taking all your guns and ammo, and potentially shooting and killing you and your family in the process.”
Anti-gun supporters claim “Red Flag” laws prevent gun violence, but gun owners counter that existing laws already address criminal behavior without broadly targeting legal firearm possession.
The expansion to include healthcare providers raises fears among gun owners that routine mental health discussions could lead to unwarranted “Red Flag” filings, chilling open communication.
Resistance to the law stems from its perceived violation of due process, as individuals may lose their firearms before a full hearing, leaving gun owners vulnerable to abuse.
Overall, Colorado’s “Red Flag” law and its new curriculum are seen as a dangerous step toward eroding Second Amendment rights under the guise of public safety.
Read more at Denver7.
