How to Become a Criminal Investigator with the Colorado Springs Police Department

The Colorado Springs Police Department had a caseload of 39,821 case reports in 2011, which included 18,963 arrests. During this time, there were nearly 280,000 calls for service.

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In 2011, there were 28 criminal homicides committed in Colorado Springs. Other major crimes indexed in 2011 included:

  • Forcible rapes: 319 incidences
  • Robberies: 453 incidences
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,072 incidences
  • Burglaries: 3,325 incidences
  • Larcenies/thefts: 11,407 incidences
  • Motor vehicle thefts: 1,158 incidences

Major criminal investigations within the Colorado Springs Police Department are organized under the Operations Support Bureau, which includes three divisions:

  • Special Enforcement Division
  • Investigations Division
  • Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division

Individuals with aspirations of becoming a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department must first become police officers with the Department.

Steps to Becoming a Colorado Springs Police Department Detective

The path to becoming a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department begins by serving as a patrol officer. Officers may be promoted to a criminal investigator position upon completing at least 3 years of patrol duty.

Minimum Education Requirements for Joining the Force

The Department requires that all candidates for police officer jobs meet a number of minimum requirements, as required by the Colorado Police Officer Standards and Training (POST), which includes having an associate’s degree (or 60 college semester hours) from an accredited college or university. Candidates who do not meet the educational requirements must show proof that they are enrolled in a course of study that will allow them to meet the minimum qualifications upon the date of hire

Other basic qualifications for joining the force include:

  • Must be at least 21 years old by the date of hire
  • Must have no felony convictions
  • Must have no misdemeanor domestic violence convictions
  • Must

Application Process

Applications for police officer jobs with the Colorado Springs Police Department must be submitted through the governmentjobs.com website (in the law enforcement category) during an open recruitment period. Upcoming hiring dates are announced on the City of Colorado Springs website.

Qualified candidates are then notified by email on how to proceed with the testing process. After a pre-screening process, applicants select a test date, during which time they will be required to complete a written and physical abilities test. Applicants who pass both tests are then placed on an eligibility list and ranked according to their test scores.

The remainder of the employment process includes:

  • Background investigation
  • Psychological evaluation
  • Medical examination
  • Final offer of employment
  • Colorado Springs Police Department Training Academy: Consists of a 24-week course of training

Criminal Investigation Sections within the Colorado Springs Police Department

Investigations Division

The Investigations Division provides investigative services through three sections:

  • Sex Crimes/Juvenile Section
    • Adult Sex Assault Team
    • Computer Crimes Unit
    • Computer Forensics Unit
    • Internet Crimes Against Children Unit
    • Registered Sex Offenders Unit
    • Sex Crimes / Crimes Against Children / Runaways Unit
  • Violent Crimes Section
    • Crime Stoppers
    • Crime Stoppers Unit
    • DVERT (Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team)
    • Fugitive Unit
    • Homicide / Missing Persons Unit
    • Juvenile Offender Unit
    • Juvenile Offender Unit
    • Robbery Unit
    • Victim Advocacy Unit
  • Special Investigations Section
    • Falcon Detectives
    • Financial Crimes Unit
    • Gold & Silver / Pawn
    • Gold Hill Detectives
    • Metro Crime Laboratory
    • Sand Creek Detectives
    • Stetson Hills Detectives

Metro Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence Division

The Metro Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence Division is a multi-agency task force that works to investigate, prevent, and control the illegal sale, manufacturing, and possession of illegal drugs.

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