Convicted cop who broke woman with dementia's arm denied early release from prison
The former Loveland police officer who was convicted in 2022 of breaking Karen Garner's arm, separating her shoulder and spraining her wrist during a 2020 investigation will not be released from prison early. Garner, who lives with dementia, was not given medical attention for hours while Hopp and his peers were recorded joking around about the injuries.
Former officer Austin Hopp was hoping to be released early from his five-year prison sentence. Hopp appeared in a northern Colorado court Wednesday to ask to be transitioned out of prison and into a halfway house program. Hopp is only nine months into his five-year sentence.
In court on Wednesday, Garner's family argued his request was not appropriate. The board agreed, denying Hopp's request.
Garner's family used a statement that Hopp wrote months ago in which he stated that he would never seek employment in Colorado again as a reason why he shouldn't be granted community corrections.
"The fact that he was looking at a work release program where he would work 20 miles from where this all happened contradicted why we were here today. We were here to release him to work when he told us, 'I am never going to be able to work in Colorado again.' So, we were almost able to use his words against him today," said Garner's daughter-in-law Shannon Steward.
Hopp will remain behind bars for at least six more months before another window will open for him to request a transfer to community corrections.
