Press Release

(Jan. 27, 2023) Law enforcement leaders within the Colorado Department of Public Safety released this statement today:

(Jan. 12, 2023) -- On Aug. 16, 2022, the Colorado Department of Public Safety hired ILG Strategic Services to complete a workplace assessment of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM).

The assessment aimed to:

(Jan. 4, 2023) – January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The State of Colorado is launching its 2023 campaign to raise awareness via street teams, outreach in unexpected places, and a critical message: Anyone can be a victim. 

(December 27, 2022)—Recent legislation (SB 22-150) expands the investigation of missing and murdered Indigenous relative cases, including the creation of a new Missing Indigenous Person Alert (MIPA) through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 

Following stakeholder meetings and a comprehensive rulemaking process, the new alert that focuses on reported missing Indigenous persons goes live on Dec. 30, 2022. 

The requirements of the new MIPA are as follows: 

(December 19, 2022) Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) Executive Director Stan Hilkey has selected Chris Schaefer as the next Director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), effective Feb. 3, 2023.

The Department of Public Safety selected Schaefer as Director after a robust and competitive search followed by panel interviews with CDPS leadership, CBI staff, and statewide and federal partners including law enforcement and district attorneys.

(Dec. 12, 2022) -- On Dec. 12, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) released a performance audit for the state’s Disaster Emergency Fund (DEF), which was created by the General Assembly in 1992 to help ensure that funds are available to meet disaster emergencies in the state. Auditors did not identify any expenses from the Disaster Emergency Fund that were not in compliance with statutory requirements or the relevant executive orders, but they recommended “closing out disasters” more promptly to release unused funding.

(Nov. 30, 2022) -- After a robust, nationwide search with input from Colorado Indigenous stakeholders, the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) is pleased to announce that the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice has hired Arron Julian to be the director of the newly formed Office of Liaison for Missing or Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR).  

(Nov. 29, 2022) – Today, the Polis administration, through the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) within the Colorado Department of Public Safety, announced that law enforcement agencies can now apply for grant funding to help them investigate, enforce, prosecute, and disrupt illegal opioids including fentanyl in Colorado.

(Oct. 17, 2022) The 2022 Colorado Safe Schools Summit will take place over two days this week, starting with a full day of national experts sharing best practices to prevent youth drug use, suicide, online abuse, and potentially dangerous school disruptions.