City of Idaho Springs
Settlement reached in Michael Clark Use of Force Incident
Contact: Andrew Marsh, City Administrator (303) 567-4421, admin@idahospringsco.com
Idaho Springs, Colorado – November 2, 2022.
The City of Idaho Springs and its insurance carrier have reached an agreement with Michael Clark to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Mr. Clark against the City and individual members of the Idaho Springs Police Department (ISPD) for the events of May 30, 2021. On that date, Mr. Clark was contacted at his apartment in Idaho Springs by ISPD officers in response to a call for service from a neighbor regarding an altercation. ISPD Officer Nicholas Hanning ultimately deployed a conducted energy weapon on Mr. Clark, causing him to fall and strike his head. Mr. Clark filed suit alleging numerous injuries arising from the incident. Officer Hanning was placed on leave after the incident and was terminated from the ISPD following the internal review process. The other ISPD officer involved in the incident was also disciplined and is no longer employed by the City.
The settlement amount of seven million dollars ($7,000,000) fully satisfies all claims against the City and will be paid by the City’s insurance carrier. All claims against the individual members of ISPD were dismissed. The agreement does not represent an admission of liability from the City for the wide range of claims asserted. Rather, the agreement represents a settlement of disputed claims entered into by the City for economic reasons and to bring closure to all involved. The City hopes that the settlement can bring some peace of mind to Mr. Clark and his family, and that the monies paid toward settlement will be available to cover any and all medical needs Mr. Clark may have moving forward.
The City and ISPD Chief Nate Buseck acknowledge the poor judgment that led to the use of a conducted energy weapon on Mr. Clark. As Chief Buseck stated in the Press Release issued by the ISPD on July 16, 2021: “The actions of former Officer Hanning are not reflective of the culture of our organization. ISPD is an agency that takes great pride in how we interact with our citizens and this incident was not acceptable.“
Additionally, Mayor Chuck Harmon said, “We hope that settlement of this matter can provide closure to the many people involved. City leadership remains committed to the constant self-evaluation and betterment of the ISPD in all ways. We remain proud of the men and women who continue to serve this community.”
With this settlement, the City will have no further comment on this incident or the related litigation.
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