Colorado Revised Statutes Title 16. Criminal Proceedings § 16-5-207. Standards and criteria relating to issuance of summons in lieu of warrant

(1) A summons shall be issued instead of a warrant in all petty offenses and all unclassified offenses which are punishable by a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or less, except in those cases where the court finds that:

(2) Except in class 1, class 2, and class 3 felonies or level 1 or level 2 drug felonies, the general policy shall favor issuance of a summons instead of a warrant for the arrest of the defendant except where there is reasonable ground to believe that, unless taken into custody, the defendant will flee to avoid prosecution or will fail to respond to a summons. The court shall issue a summons instead of an arrest warrant when the prosecuting attorney so requests. When an application is made to a court for issuance of an arrest warrant or summons, the court may require the applicant to provide such information as reasonably is available concerning the following: