The year-old law, which had been the source of a great deal of controversy, has likely saved lives without infringing on second amendment rights.
The law has been used primarily by law enforcement to remove guns from dangerous persons. Even sheriffs who had expressed concerns about the law have put it to use.
The Extreme Risk Protection Orders law allows family, roommates or law enforcement to ask a judge to remove guns from someone found to be a risk to himself or others. The judge may remove firearms for 30 days (temporary order) or for a year (permanent order).
According to the Denver Post, which looked at Judicial Department data, some 112 petitions for extreme risk protection orders were filed in 2020. In 46 cases, judges ordered people to turn over their guns to authorities or blocked them from buying guns for a year. Those restrictions were far fewer than legislative staff had projected.