This article dated November 22, 2024 reports that Douglas County District Attorney Mark Fruehauf dismissed 40 criminal cases after raising “serious concerns” about the credibility of Superior Police Officer Jarid Rankila. The concerns center on an April 13, 2024 arrest in which Rankila reported that a suspect, Erica Peters, injured his hand by slamming a squad car door on it. Body camera footage and other evidence did not match Rankila’s written reports, which described severe pain, swelling, bruising, and an ER consultation.

Fruehauf said his office can no longer rely on Rankila’s testimony and has moved to dismiss with prejudice cases in which Rankila would be a necessary witness. Of the 40 dismissed cases, 26 involved felony drug charges; others involved firearms, bail jumping, and traffic offenses. Rankila resigned from the Superior Police Department effective September 30, 2024. Fruehauf said that while he does not believe he can prove intentional falsification of a police report beyond a reasonable doubt, the credibility issues require dismissal “in the interests of justice.”