Colorado Attorney General launches training to help educators prevent school violence and student suicide

Colorado Attorney General launches training to help educators prevent school violence and student suicide

Sept. 29, 2025 (DENVER) - The Colorado Attorney General's Office today launched a training program during Suicide Prevention Month to help educators and school leaders recognize when students may be at risk of harming themselves or others and take steps to prevent violence. The program, called the ERPO Curriculum for Educators, explains how K-12 schools and universities can use Colorado's Extreme Risk Protection Order law, which allows a judge to temporarily remove firearms from someone who poses a danger. The training is available online at no cost.

"Educators are often the first to notice when a student is struggling or showing signs of crisis," said Attorney General Phil Weiser. "This training provides teachers, professors, administrators, school resource officers, and campus security with practical tools to intervene early and, when appropriate, use Colorado's ERPO law to protect students and school communities. By focusing on prevention, we can give schools the confidence and resources to stop tragedy before it occurs."

The program, developed in collaboration with Safe2Tell, offers two interactive modules for K-12 educators (opens new tab) and two modules tailored for higher education faculty and staff (opens new tab). The first module introduces warning signs of potential gun violence and the basics of ERPOs, as well as explains how to work with school or campus threat assessment teams. The second provides a practical, step-by-step roadmap for filing an ERPO, illustrated with case studies and best practices.

The Colorado Department of Law developed the training to be scenario-based and accessible for busy educators. Each session lasts about 30 minutes, offers downloadable resources, and can be completed online at any time. Participants can earn continuing education credit after completing the program, making it both a professional development opportunity and a vital safety resource.

Attorney General Weiser has long prioritized student safety and youth wellbeing, from overseeing Safe2Tell Colorado, the state's anonymous system for reporting safety concerns, to pursuing legal action against companies such as Juul Labs, Inc. and Meta over practices that harm young people. The ERPO Curriculum for Educators builds on that commitment by giving school leaders and staff practical tools to help protect students across Colorado.

The ERPO Curriculum for Educators can be accessed on the COTRAIN website (opens new tab).

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