A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the Colorado rangers law enforcement shared
Page 1, Line 102reserve.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The Colorado rangers law enforcement shared reserve, commonly known as the Colorado rangers (CLER), is a statewide law enforcement agency that has been established as a political subdivision of the state through the execution of an intergovernmental agreement for the public purpose of promoting the safety, security, and general welfare of all Coloradans by establishing a peace officers standards and training board (P.O.S.T. board) certified statewide shared peace officer reserve force.
Sections 1 through 4 of the bill update laws relating to civil defense workers and peace officers to clarify the status of the CLER as a governmental entity created by intergovernmental agreement rather than as a volunteer organization, as it was prior to 2018, the requirement that a Colorado ranger be a P.O.S.T. board certified peace officer, and the scope of a Colorado ranger's authority.
Section 5:
- Authorizes the board of the CLER to establish policies to allow compensation to be paid to a Colorado ranger if the Colorado ranger:
- Is deployed as a peace officer to a jurisdiction for an extended period, as defined or described in the policies; or
- Is deployed as a peace officer outside the state as authorized by a specified interstate compact for any length of time; and
- Authorizes the CLER to accept gifts, grants, and donations.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 16-2.5-102 as follows:
Page 2, Line 316-2.5-102. Certified peace officer - P.O.S.T. certification
Page 2, Line 4required. The following peace officers shall meet all the standards
Page 2, Line 5imposed by law on a peace officer and shall be certified by the peace
Page 2, Line 6officers standards and training board, referred to in this
article articlePage 2, Line 72.5 as the "P.O.S.T. board": A chief of police; a police officer; a sheriff;
Page 2, Line 8an undersheriff; a deputy sheriff; a Colorado state patrol officer; a town
Page 2, Line 9marshal; a deputy town marshal; a reserve police officer; a reserve deputy
Page 2, Line 10sheriff; a reserve deputy town marshal; a police officer or reserve police
Page 2, Line 11officer employed by a state institution of higher education; a Colorado
Page 2, Line 12wildlife officer; a Colorado parks and recreation officer; a Colorado
Page 2, Line 13police administrator or police officer employed by the Colorado mental
Page 2, Line 14health institute at Pueblo; an attorney general criminal investigator; a
Page 3, Line 1community parole officer; a public transit officer; a municipal court
Page 3, Line 2marshal;
and the department of corrections inspector general; and a Colorado ranger.Page 3, Line 3SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 16-2.5-153 as follows:
Page 3, Line 416-2.5-153. Colorado rangers.A Colorado ranger is a peace
Page 3, Line 5officer defined as a reserve police officer in section 16-2.5-110
Page 3, Line 6whose duties are limited pursuant to section 24-33.5-802 and who must be certified by the P.O.S.T. board.
Page 3, Line 7SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-802, add (3.3) and (3.5) as follows:
Page 3, Line 824-33.5-802. Definitions. As used in this part 8, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 3, Line 9(3.3) "Colorado ranger" means a peace officer acting
Page 3, Line 10under the authority of an agency requesting assistance from
Page 3, Line 11the Colorado rangers law enforcement shared reserve through
Page 3, Line 12an intergovernmental agreement or mutual aid agreement or as otherwise granted by law.
Page 3, Line 13(3.5) "Colorado rangers law enforcement shared reserve"
Page 3, Line 14means the statewide shared reserve law enforcement agency
Page 3, Line 15that is a political subdivision of the state through the execution
Page 3, Line 16of an intergovernmental agreement pursuant to section 29-1-203.
Page 3, Line 17SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-822, amend (6) as follows:
Page 3, Line 1824-33.5-822. County sheriff - local government - local
Page 3, Line 19emergency planning committee - memorandum of understanding
Page 4, Line 1with volunteer organizations. (6) The executive director of the
Page 4, Line 2department of public safety created in section 24-33.5-103, the director
Page 4, Line 3of the Colorado bureau of investigation created in section 24-33.5-401,
Page 4, Line 4the executive director of the department of corrections created in section
Page 4, Line 524-1-128.5, the division of emergency management created by part 21 of
Page 4, Line 6this
article article 33.5, the division of homeland security created inPage 4, Line 7section 24-33.5-1603, and a county sheriff, police chief, town marshal, or
Page 4, Line 8any other law enforcement organization certified pursuant to the
Page 4, Line 9provisions of article 2.5 of title 16,
C.R.S., who that enters intoaPage 4, Line 10
memorandum of understanding pursuant to this section anPage 4, Line 11intergovernmental agreement or mutual aid agreement with the
Page 4, Line 12Colorado
mounted rangers law enforcement shared reserve or aPage 4, Line 13
member of the Coloradomounted rangers ranger is solely responsiblePage 4, Line 14for, and in direct control of, the performance of any Colorado
mountedPage 4, Line 15
ranger ranger, including incurring any and all liabilities for misconductPage 4, Line 16of the Colorado ranger, and is responsible for addressing any
Page 4, Line 17misconduct as if the Colorado
mounted ranger ranger was a full-time employee of the organization.Page 4, Line 18SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-33.5-822.5 as follows:
Page 4, Line 1924-33.5-822.5. Colorado rangers law enforcement shared
Page 4, Line 20reserve - additional authority of board to authorize compensation for
Page 4, Line 21extended or out-of-state service - acceptance of gifts, grants, and
Page 4, Line 22donations authorized - sunrise application required - definition -
Page 4, Line 23repeal. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
Page 4, Line 24requires, "board" means the board of the Colorado rangers law
Page 4, Line 25enforcement shared reserve as collectively appointed pursuant
Page 5, Line 1to, and by the mayors of the municipalities and commissioners of
Page 5, Line 2any counties that are parties to, the intergovernmental
Page 5, Line 3agreement that governs the Colorado rangers law enforcement shared reserve.
Page 5, Line 4(2) (a) The board may establish policies to allow
Page 5, Line 5compensation to be paid to a Colorado ranger if the Colorado ranger:
Page 5, Line 6(I) Is deployed for an extended period, as defined or
Page 5, Line 7described in the policies, as a peace officer for a member
Page 5, Line 8jurisdiction pursuant to the intergovernmental agreement or
Page 5, Line 9for a nonmember jurisdiction pursuant to a mutual aid agreement; or
Page 5, Line 10(II) Is deployed as a peace officer outside the state as
Page 5, Line 11authorized by the "Emergency Management Assistance Compact", part 29 of article 60 of this title 24.
Page 5, Line 12(b) Compensation paid to a Colorado ranger pursuant to
Page 5, Line 13board policies adopted as authorized by subsection (2)(a) of this
Page 5, Line 14section may be paid to the Colorado ranger either directly by
Page 5, Line 15the board or by a member jurisdiction or a nonmember
Page 5, Line 16jurisdiction under the terms of the intergovernmental
Page 5, Line 17agreement, a mutual aid agreement, or a memorandum of understanding, as applicable.
Page 5, Line 18(3) The Colorado rangers law enforcement shared
Page 5, Line 19reserve may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations
Page 5, Line 20from private or public sources for any of its purposes authorized
Page 5, Line 21by law, intergovernmental agreement, or a mutual aid
Page 5, Line 22agreement.
Page 6, Line 1(4) (a) The board shall submit a sunrise application
Page 6, Line 2pursuant to section 16-2.5-201 by July 1, 2025, to determine if any change in peace officer status is necessary.
Page 6, Line 3(b) This subsection (4) is repealed, effective January 1, 2026.
Page 6, Line 4SECTION 6. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 6, Line 5determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 6, Line 6preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 6, Line 7the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.