Douglas County Sheriff, DA criticize Colorado Gov. Jared Polis for granting clemency to "would-be cop killer"

Law enforcement officials in Colorado are sharply criticizing Gov. Jared Polis' decision to grant clemency to a man convicted of shooting a Douglas County sheriff's deputy. That injured deputy calls the move "a complete betrayal."

"This decision is an insult to me, my family, and every law enforcement officer who risks their life every single day to protect their communities. What makes this even more outrageous is the timing -- on a day meant to honor fallen officers and recognize the sacrifices made by law enforcement, Governor Polis chose to announce clemency for a man convicted of shooting a deputy in the line of duty. That is beyond disrespectful. It is a complete betrayal of the men and women who wear the badge."

The statement from Deputy Todd Tucker, now serving in law enforcement in Maryland, was read by Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly following Polis' May 15, 2026 clemency order. The governor commuted Brandin Kreuzer's 50-year prison sentence, making him eligible for parole June 1.

"Governor Polis' decision sends a dangerous and demoralizing message that attempting to murder a police officer no longer carries the weight or accountability it once did," Weekly said.

Kreuzer was 19 when he and co-defendant Taylor Moudy carried out a series of burglaries, car thefts and armed robberies across Douglas County in 2008. The crime spree ended when deputies confronted them; Kreuzer fired a high-powered rifle, striking Tucker and leaving him with lasting nerve damage.

"That morning Brandin Kreuzer tried to kill me and Deputy Todd Tucker," said Douglas County Sheriff's Office Cpl. Mike Adams.

Kreuzer was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to 50 years in prison. Polis' commutation allows him to seek parole after serving 15 years.

In a clemency letter, Polis said the sentence was longer than some imposed in murder cases. He also cited Kreuzer's conduct while incarcerated, including earning college credits and founding the Redemption Road CrossFit Program, which now operates in multiple Colorado Department of Corrections facilities and has reached more than 2,000 inmates.

The decision was also criticized by 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler, who disputed the governor's reasoning.

"Giving this power to Governor Polis has proven time and again to be like giving scissors to a kid and telling him to go run down the hall, only this time he tripped and stabbed law enforcement in the back," he said. "He said Kreuzer's co-defendant's sentence was seven years in the Youthful Offender System. [Kreuzer] received a sentence of 50 years in the Department of Corrections, saying that that wasn't fair. And I'll be honest with you, if two guys who equally participated in a crime that were only six months apart [in age] had this disproportion of a sentence that'd be a real talking point. Only problem is it's BS. It never happened. The codefendant, Moudy, who is not the trigger puller, got a 45-year sentence. Now, what makes this inexplicable is this was made clear to the governor's office because the 18th judicial district sent a sentencing transcript to the governor before they came out with this garbage."

Adams also criticized the decision.

"It's a slap in the face of every law enforcement officer that puts on this uniform every day, and for those that have made the ultimate sacrifice," he said. "It's just appalling that the governor would grant clemency to someone that tried to kill two police officers."

Kreuzer remains in custody but is now eligible for release under conditions set by the Colorado Parole Board. Moudy did not receive clemency and remains incarcerated with an expected release date in 2048.

CBS Colorado sent an email to Governor Polis' office to learn how he reached his decision and received the following response:

"Governor Polis takes the heavy responsibility of clemency seriously especially when the case includes injury or the loss of life. Brandin Kreuzer was given clemency because he was a model inmate, who among other things, established Redemption Road CrossFit (RF2) that operates in multiple DOC facilities, as well as because of the sentencing discrepancy. Kreuzer's sentence was longer than many people receive for crimes resulting in death. The reference to the co-defendant's YOS sentence was mistakenly included in some communication out of our office based on a previous misstatement and was not part of the Governor's decision process."

Through the governor's office, the family of Brandin Kreuzer released the following statement:

"The family of Brandin Kreuzer is grateful to Governor Jared Polis and his team for the careful and thorough review of our son Brandin Kreuzer's clemency request. These decisions are difficult to make and we appreciate the thoroughness of the review. Brandin served 18 years of a 50-year sentence for crimes he committed at age 19. He has taken responsibility for his choices and fully understands that the crimes were serious, dangerous and wrong. He has no excuses. We hope he will not be known only for the worst things he has done. While incarcerated, Brandin helped create Redemption Road Crossfit (rf2.org) a program focused on discipline, accountability, physical and mental strength, and helping other inmates find purpose and direction. As Brandin's family, we are committed to supporting him as he returns to the community. We request that the media give our family time to prepare for Branden's return home."