After a Facebook post circulated on social media about unmarked police vehicles in Fort Collins, Fort Collins Police Services released a statement about why the unmarked truck was used.

The original post, published July 24, shows an unmarked police truck with a Wyoming license plate. The post added that police are not required to wear body cameras until 2023, following the Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity act passed earlier this summer by Colorado legislation. 

The act requires all local law enforcement agencies and the Colorado state patrol to wear a body camera starting July 1, 2023, with exceptions for those working in jails, as administrative or civilian staff and those working in courtrooms. Among other details, the act also ends qualified immunity, prohibits chokeholds and limits how law enforcement agencies may use non-lethal or less-lethal rounds and chemical agents such as tear gas. 

In a Facebook post the following day, FCPS said the unmarked vehicle in question is assigned to the Criminal Impact Unit and was used in an armed robbery investigation in north Fort Collins. 

According to the statement, the CIU regularly arrests suspects wanted for crimes such as violent weapon-related offenses, sexual assaults on children, homicide and organized crime operations.

The statement added that all uniformed officers are currently equipped with body cameras, and FCPS began the process to issue body cameras to detective units earlier this summer. 

FCPS anticipates completing the rollout of body cameras “well before” the 2023 deadline established in the Colorado legislature, according to the statement. 

“We utilize a variety of vehicles and tools in our effort to make Fort Collins a safe community,” the statement read. “All FCPS investigations, including undercover operations, are conducted in strict accordance with statutory requirements governing law enforcement.” 

Noah Pasley can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @PasleyNoah.