Christopher Knoepke, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who has studied red flag laws both in Colorado and nationwide, worries the state law is a valuable tool that is being underutilized. He said his research found that in its first year there were 109 ERPO petitions filed in Colorado. In 2021 there were 144, and as of Aug. 1 of this year there have been 69.