The latest news, information and highlights from CDPS.
The Public Safety Post
Holiday wreath

Dear CDPS members,

As we enter the final week of December, I’d like to reflect on the year we have shared. 2016 has been challenging, rewarding and, at times, heartbreaking. 

Together, we have saved lives, made Colorado a safer place, and upheld justice. We have done this through an enormous breadth of accomplishments ranging from major achievements to the small, day-to-day actions that add up over the course of a year. 

We have said goodbye to beloved colleagues. Sometimes with bittersweet smiles as they retire or change jobs, and sometimes with tears and heartache as they are taken from us too soon.

As a department we have climbed the never-ending hill of change -- a task that can be exhausting, confusing or frustrating when challenges block our view of why we are changing. I want to thank you for your flexibility and patience through these changes. Above all, I am grateful for your commitment to doing what is right over what is easy, and for understanding that the power of our effectiveness both internally and externally is because of strong, respectful relationships.   

As we head into the holidays, I hope you all will have an opportunity to relax, recharge, and find time to focus on what matters most  — priorities like family, friends, health and happiness. Keeping these important things at heart now and into the new year will help us let go of the small stuff and remember why we do what we do, even when the challenges seem insurmountable.

Best wishes for a warm, safe, happy holidays  —
Executive Director Stan Hilkey
Headlines
CBI InstaCheck Processes Record Number of Requests on Black Friday 
Shoppers in Colorado set a Black Friday record as the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) InstaCheck Unit processed 4,329 background checks for firearms transfers on November 25, 2016. The checks marked the highest number of requests for firearms transfers received in one day in CBI InstaCheck history.  

In preparation of the 2016 Black Friday shopping event, the CBI InstaCheck team configured staffing to maximize efficiency and expanded operational hours from Midnight to 9 p.m. on November 25. The InstaCheck Unit traditionally operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 363 days per year—closing only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

InstaCheck is the point of contact for the FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) program in Colorado, one of about a dozen states that serve in this capacity. CBI InstaCheck members analyze eight different databases as part of the background check process for firearms transfers to ensure an individual can legally possess a firearm.

Colorado One of Only 12 States to Earn Rape Survivor Custody Act Funds
Colorado was one of just 12 states to meet the requirements of the federal Rape Survivor and Child Custody Act in FY2016, earning the state more than $139,000 in additional funding to support programs that help survivors of sexual assaults.

Staff within the Office for Victims Programs within the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) learned of the federal funding late in the fall of 2016. DCJ will distribute the funds to programs around the state that provide direct services for victims of sexual assault.

Colorado qualified for the funding because it has statutes in place that protect women from being forced to share custody of a child conceived by sexual assault with the rapist. Colorado law provides the opportunity for a court to terminate the parental rights of the perpetrator of the sexual assault in cases where there is clear evidence that that child was conceived as a result of sexual assault and that the termination of parental rights is in the best interest of the child. The law does not require that a conviction occur.

"It's not a ton of money, but it does make a difference, and it makes a positive statement to sexual assault survivors," said Ashley Riley Lopes, Grants Administrator. "This is an example demonstrating how progressive Colorado is in terms of supporting victims and survivors."
New DFPC Mobile Training Unit Enabled Nearly 700 to Obtain Live-Fire Training
Firefighters train using DFPC mobile unit
In 2016, the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) Professional Qualifications Training Section debuted a new, state-of-the art resource to help bring critical training to firefighters across the state.

The Mobile Live Fire Training Unit provides a safe training environment simulating a realistic structure fire. The 53-foot-long trailer features a hydraulically operated second story to simulate several different structural scenarios. It also has a roof ventilation prop, forcible entry prop, and movable walls on the first floor to provide multiple "room" configurations. 

With the assistance of volunteer instructors, DFPC has been able to provide critical live-fire training to departments that do not regularly have the opportunity to train with live fire. Since the Mobile Live Fire Training Unit went live in April 2016, 691 firefighters from 47 departments have participated in live-fire training with the unit. Of the 691 firefighters, 342 are career firefighters and 349 are volunteer firefighters.

For these departments, the training unit has allowed them to practice defensive, offensive and transitional fire attack, observe hydraulic ventilation, improve hose management skills, and get hands-on with vertical ventilation. DFPC anticipates launching a second Mobile Live Fire Training Unit in May 2017.  Read More About the PQT...
National Safety Council Recognizes CSP Employee as Instructor of Year 
Karen Merrill receives national award
The National Safety Council recognized Colorado State Patrol employee Karen Merrill as the 2016 National Law Enforcement Curriculum Alive at 25 Instructor of the Year.
 
Karen accepted the award on October 15 at the National Safety Council’s Exposition and Congress in Anaheim, CA.

Karen has been teaching Alive at 25 since 2006.  In the last nine years she has taught 146 classes and delivered Alive at 25’s life-saving message to 2,569 young drivers in Colorado. Read More About Karen...
Dispatchers Save Lives of Teens Through Safe2Tell Program
CSP dispatcher Jessica looks at Safe2Tell interface
On Dec. 4, quick work by a Colorado State Patrol dispatcher helped save the life of a teenager who had attempted to commit suicide. Two days later, another CSP dispatcher helped mobilize local law enforcement to arrest a youth who was threatening his fellow students with a potential school shooting.

These are just two of the confirmed incidences of lives saved through Safe2Tell, a Colorado initiative that makes it easy for students, parents, school staff and others to report safety concerns. People can make anonymous reports by phone, website or mobile app. Dispatchers in the Denver Communications Center receive and manage phone calls, while tips that come in through the web site or mobile app are handled by dispatchers in the Pueblo Communications Center. 

In November, CSP dispatchers handled nearly 800 reports —an average of more than 26 per day! Over the course of the 2015-2016 school year, they received 5,821 reports, a 68% increase over the prior school year.   Read Full Story
CIAC Team Focuses on Protecting Critical Infrastructure in Colorado
The Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) focuses on preventing acts of terrorism. Critical infrastructure is a key target to protect, including roads, bridges, dams, facilities, energy, water supplies, and more —thirteen sectors, in fact.

In recognition of this critical element of security, the CIAC has a dedicated Infrastructure Protection section. This section is a collaboration among seven members representing state and federal partners as well as specialty focus tracks. 

In addition to sharing information and best practices with partners, in 2016 the Infrastructure Protection section:
  • Held numerous cybersecurity workshops throughout the state, culminating in a multi-agency cybersecurity exercise on Nov. 10. 
  • Completed a threat assessment for dams in Colorado
  • Participated in various educational and outreach events
  • Staffed the State Emergency Operations Center when necessary for large-scale disasters
  • Assisted the Regional Transportation District (RTD) with an active shooter exercise
  • Supported a variety of local exercises to help local agencies be prepared for emergencies.
Learn More About the Infrastructure Protection Team
Snapshots
CDPS employees at holiday potluck
CDPS employees at the Kipling complex joined in the annual three-building holiday potluck on Dec. 20. Desserts were in one building, appetizers and sides in another, and main courses in the third building. 
Stan-a-Claus
On Dec. 22 and 23, "Stan-a-Claus" and his trusty sidekick delivered holiday cheer to CDPS office locations throughout the metro-Denver area and the I-70 corridor.  Pictured: Stan-a-Claus hands out goodies to CBI employees at the Arvada lab. 
People On The Move
George Kelley
Q&A with George Kelley, Director of Procurement

On Aug. 22, 2016, CDPS welcomed a new Director of Procurement. George Kelley was hired to run the newly unified Procurement unit with a goal of achieving consistency and compliance. With a public service career spanning more than 30 years, George was selected to apply his extensive governmental experience towards ensuring that all purchases within all divisions of CDPS meet the stringent rules set by statute and state policy.

He began his public service career in 1984 and has since served in a breadth of progressively responsible roles supporting the missions of the Department of Defense, Federal and civilian agencies throughout the United States and overseas. 

We asked him a series of questions to get to know him and his goals as our new Procurement Director.

Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career prior to joining us?
George: Serving over 20 years in the U.S. Air Force providing procurement support to military personnel across the globe.

Q: What are you most passionate about in terms of your role at CDPS and/or procurement?
George: I am grateful to be a part of such a diverse and important Department. Public Safety services are vital to the health, welfare, sustainability, and success of Colorado. Having been in public procurement for over 30 years, I am passionate about being a good steward of public funds, ensuring we’re spending in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible while supporting the Department’s critical mission.

Q: What one or two things do you think CDPS members need to know about procurement?
George: The Procurement team serves as a strategic partner to CDPS​ personnel and our work is a critical component to ​our success. We’re here to help get what you need, when you need it, in the most cost-effective, compliant, and efficient manner ​possible...  Continue Reading the Q&A... 
Better, Faster, Safer...
Helpful Article: Managing Conflict in Group Meetings

People come to group meetings with different perspectives, personality types and communication styles. This can be a recipe for conflict  — but there are tactics you can employ to help reduce conflict in group meetings!

It starts with being aware of and monitoring your own responses. Read this helpful article for a full list of Six Tips for Managing Conflict in Groups. 
Do you have ideas for good-news stories, events, "People on the Move", or other content to share with all CDPS employees? Submit your story ideas, details and photos by the 10th of the month to your Division PIO or to [email protected].