Colorado Code
Part 4 - Temporary Custody and Shelter
§ 19-3-401. Taking Children Into Custody

(1.3) A child shall be taken into temporary custody by a law enforcement officer without order of the court when there are reasonable grounds to believe the child has run away from the child's parents, guardian, or legal custodian and the child's parents, guardian, or legal custodian has made a report to a law enforcement agency that the child has run away from home.
(1.5) An emergency exists and a child is seriously endangered as described in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section whenever the safety or well-being of a child is immediately at issue and there is no other reasonable way to protect the child without removing the child from the child's home. If such an emergency exists, a child shall be removed from such child's home and placed in protective custody regardless of whether reasonable efforts to preserve the family have been made.












Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 775, § 1, effective October 1. L. 93: Entire section amended, p. 1016, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2004: (3) added, p. 429, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2006: (1)(b) amended and (1.3) added, p. 337, § 1, effective April 5. L. 2010: (3)(c)(II) and (3)(c)(III) amended, (SB 10-175), ch. 188, p. 791, § 43, effective April 29. L. 2016: (3)(b) and (3)(c)(I) amended, (SB 16-158), ch. 204, p. 727, § 16, effective August 10. L. 2017: IP(3)(c), (3)(c)(II), and (3)(c)(III) amended, (SB 17-242), ch. 263, p. 1314, § 161, effective May 25. L. 2018: (3)(b) amended, (SB 18-092), ch. 38, p. 420, § 55, effective August 8. L. 2021: (3)(a) and (3)(b) amended, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 731, § 76, effective October 1.
Editor's note: This section was contained in a title that was repealed and reenacted in 1987. Provisions of this section, as it existed in 1987, are similar to those contained in 19-2-101 as said section existed in 1986, the year prior to the repeal and reenactment of this title.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 2004 act enacting subsection (3), see section 1 of chapter 140, Session Laws of Colorado 2004. For the legislative declaration in SB 16-158, see section 1 of chapter 204, Session Laws of Colorado 2016. For the legislative declaration in SB 17-242, see section 1 of chapter 263, Session Laws of Colorado 2017. For the legislative declaration in SB 18-092, see section 1 of chapter 38, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.

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