Colorado gun laws leave innocent citizens defenseless

By James Neville | Complete Colorado

became a firearms instructor not because I’m a gun nut, but from my love for teaching self-defense. Teaching assault survivors martial arts for years provides the opportunity to learn about the nature of violent crime. It’s clear that the Colorado’s approach to public safety isn’t just naïve, it’s dangerous: policy makers are increasingly putting Coloradans at risk.

The recent flurry of gun control measures has made Colorado one of the most restrictive states for firearm ownership in America. Senate Bill 25-003 for example, imposes a three-stage process on every Coloradan who may need to purchase a semiautomatic pistol for self-defense. There is no cap on fees and there is no time frame within which an application must be approved or denied. This will create substantial time and cost barriers for anyone who needs protect themself and their families in case of an emergency.

Empowering criminals

When listening to assault victims’ experiences, a general fact pattern common to most to violent crime begins to emerge: the assailant chooses a location, looks for a target he’ll have an unfair advantage over, then attacks without warning. Often, the event only lasts a few seconds. With women, it can last longer. Within seconds, an innocent person’s life can be permanently damaged not just physically but also psychologically.

Many assume that dealing with violent crime should be a job for law enforcement. This is a mistake. Usually when the police are called, by the time they can get there the assault is either already over or well underway. More importantly, law enforcement is under no obligation to protect you. If they can make it in time, they’ll likely turn into heroes if a crime is thwarted. But if they don’t, they’ll bear no responsibility. This is the reality we’re all living in, whether we realize it or not. And that includes those who are convinced there’s no reason for anyone to own a gun.

The bottom line is this: if you believe an innocent person has the right to defend themself against a violent criminal, then that person must have the ability to deliver an immediate response that stops the attacker right there, on the spot. For many people, especially women, this means using a gun.

It’s easy to get the impression that there’s no reason for anyone to own a firearm. According to the Colorado Department of Public Safety, only 8 of the 64 counties have a violent crime rate above the 2023 national average, and all murders took place within 28% of the counties. In 2024, forty-six counties saw virtually no murders, and twenty-four counties saw less than 100 crime incidents per 100,000. Most people have little, if any firsthand experience with violence, so many believe the costs of gun ownership outweigh the benefits. This too, is a mistake. Violence can and does happen in areas most people believe are completely safe. Just ask State Senator Tom Sullivan.

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