Congressman Gabe Evans (R-Greeley), a former police officer and combat veteran, addressed the Committee on Homeland Security during a hearing titled “When Badges Become Targets: How Anti-Law Enforcement Rhetoric Fuels Violence Against Officers.” The session examined an increase in threats and targeted attacks against law enforcement.
Evans spoke about his experience as a law enforcement officer in the Denver metro area. He stated, “I was a cop for ten years in the Denver metro area. The reason I am in Congress is because in 2020 the ruling democrats in Colorado passed a bill that took the first steps toward defunding law enforcement and toward making cops guilty until they proved themselves innocent.”
He recounted personal stories from his time on the force, saying, “I watched my cops suffer. I buried countless others when I was on the honor guard. And in terms of refusing to condemn physical or political violence — I will remind everyone of two votes that happened earlier this year where every single member of the United States House of Representative voted to condemn the murder of a Democrat leader in Minnesota. But 118 of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle could not vote to condemn the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
Evans emphasized how reductions in police support affect vulnerable communities: “When cops are handcuffed, it’s the cops who suffer. And not only is it the cops who suffer, it’s the low-income and the minority communities that suffer.” He added, “My district is 40% Hispanic. You know who suffers when we don’t have law enforcement to keep our communities safe? It’s my low-income and my minority communities.”
He discussed rising auto theft rates, noting, “Colorado has led the nation more years than not the last 5 years in auto theft. You know what happens when one of my Hispanic trade workers gets their vehicle stolen? Not only are they out of vehicle, they’ve lost their job because they can’t show up to the job site tomorrow to do the work. I’ve seen this happen because I’ve taken those reports.”
Referencing recent drug seizures, Evans said, “We just had the sixth largest fentanyl seizure in US history in Colorado. 12 kgs of fentanyl, 1.7 million illicit pills, enough to kill 6.8 million people, every man, woman, and child in Colorado.”
He criticized policies he believes have contributed to crime increases: “The defund the police and sanctuary city style politics that I personally experienced as a law enforcement officer in Colorado — it’s why I’m in Congress today.”
Drawing on his military background, Evans continued: “Under the previous administration, more Americans died as a result of drug overdoses like fentanyl than were killed in the entire September 11th terrorist attacks. That’s personal to me too because I am a combat veteran of the Global War on Terror.
I deployed to protect this country and to turn around to see these cartels, and these criminals, and these peddlers of poison, being able to run free in our communities because of defund-the-police rhetoric, and because of sanctuary city and state policies is absolutely onerous to me.
It’s onerous to the people that I have sworn oaths to protect and defend as I uphold the Constitution.
Cops experience the physical, mental, moral, and emotional injuries of this job. And all of those things are made worse as a result of anti-law enforcement rhetoric.”
Evans represents a district with significant Hispanic population and says he has seen firsthand how certain state policies affect working families and minority communities.
He has introduced several legislative measures including:
– The UPLIFT Act: Intended to reverse sanctuary policies by restoring cooperation with federal partners.
– Law Enforcement Support & Counter Transnational Repression Act: Designed to help communities identify and respond to foreign intimidation within U.S. borders.
Evans also collaborated with other Republican members from Colorado’s congressional delegation—Lauren Boebert (CO-04) and Jeff Crank (CO-05)—to send letters urging Governor Polis for action regarding rising crime rates.
Following what authorities described as Colorado’s largest-ever fentanyl bust on November 17, 2025—which included 1.7 million counterfeit pills and over twelve kilograms of fentanyl powder—officials highlighted ongoing concerns about drug-related deaths across Colorado.
According to recent data cited at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2024/20240522.htm , Colorado’s drug overdose death rate remains higher than pre-pandemic levels even though national rates are declining faster elsewhere.
The state reportedly has one of America’s highest teen overdose rates according to research published by KFF Health News at https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/colorado-fentanyl-opioid-overdose-teens-cdc-data/.
In response Evans has sponsored bipartisan bills such as:
– No Fentanyl on Social Media Act (with Rep. Debbie Dingell): Seeks federal action against online trafficking targeting minors.
– Combatting Fentanyl Poisonings Act (with Rep. Adam Gray): Proposes grants for local agencies addressing fentanyl distribution and related public education initiatives.