To characterize the mission of the Colorado Springs Police Department, to state the Department's values, and to define certain terms used frequently in this manual.
 

The mission of the Colorado Springs Police Department:  Our mission is to promote the quality of life in Colorado Springs by providing police services with integrity and with a spirit of excellence, in partnership with our Community.
 

A comprehensive list of terms is given in the Glossary at the end of each volume of this Manual.  Numerous General Orders also contain definitions of words that are particularly important for the directive in which they are found. The terms below are defined here because they occur frequently throughout the Manual.

CHAIN OF COMMAND: A series of positions, each of which is directly commanded by the one immediately above it. Although a Department member may have numerous subordinates, s/he has only one immediate supervisor.

CITIZEN: Designates any individual who is not a sworn or civilian employee of any law enforcement agency.

COMMAND OFFICER: Designates any officer who has attained the rank of Lieutenant or higher.

COMMANDING OFFICER: Same as Command Officer.

DEPARTMENT: When used alone and capitalized, designates the Colorado Springs Police Department.

EMPLOYEE: Same as "member."

HIS/HER, HIM/HER, S/HE: Male and female pronouns used synonymously in this manual.

MEMBER: Designates any employee of the Police Department, including officers and civilians.

OFF-DUTY: That time period when a member has been relieved of the routine performance of the duties of that member's position.

OFFICER: Any member of the Department who has taken an oath of office and possesses police powers. Same as "Sworn."

ON-DUTY: That time period when a member of the Department is in the routine performance of the duties of that member's position.

POLICY: A broad statement designating governing principles of management and reflecting the objectives, philosophy and direction of the Colorado Springs Police Department.

PROCEDURE: Designates the fact or manner of proceeding with any particular action or course of action.

RULE: Defines a specific course of action to be followed or avoided and, in that capacity, governs conduct and actions.

SHIFT: A "shift" designates a period of time that a Department member is assigned to work in the routine performance of his/her duties.

SHIFT LIEUTENANT: A Lieutenant of any Patrol Division who has overall law enforcement responsibility within that Division during the assigned watch.

STAFF DUTY OFFICER (SDO): A Deputy Chief or Commander serving, on a rotating basis, as the direct representative of the Chief of Police and acting with the delegated authority of the Chief.  The duties of the position are specified in G.O. 1105 .

STAFF OFFICERS:  The Chief of Police, all Deputy Chiefs, all Commanders and the Director of Management Services.

SUBORDINATE: An employee of lower rank and under the command or supervision of the employee in question.

SUPERIOR OFFICER: An officer of higher rank or assigned responsibility of supervision.

SUPERVISOR: Any employee who is assigned, in the Chain of Command, to direct the activities of any component of the Department and its assigned personnel.

SWORN PERSONNEL: "Sworn personnel" designates all personnel of the Department who have taken an oath of office and who possess police powers. Same as "officers."

TOUR OF DUTY: Same as "Shift."

WATCH: Same as "Shift."
 

The Colorado Springs Police Department has adopted the following statement of its values:

• We believe that the police derive our powers from the people we serve.
• We will never tolerate the abuse of our police powers.
• We recognize that our personal conduct, both on and off duty, is inseparable from the professional reputation of the Police Department.
• We are committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all individuals.
• We view the people of our community as our customers, who deserve our concern, care and attention.
• We believe our basic missions are to prevent crime and to deliver vigorous law enforcement services when crime occurs.
• We are committed to efficient resource management and superior service delivery.
• We believe in open communications and partnerships with the community.
• We believe we can achieve our highest potential by actively involving our employees in problem-solving and improving police services.
• We support an organizational climate of mutual trust and respect for one another.
• We encourage the pursuit of higher education by our employees.
• We are committed to contributing to the advancement of the police profession.

To define the organization of the Colorado Springs Police Department and to set certain general rules for its orderly operation.
 

G.O. 1002, Office of the Chief: Functions
G.O. 1004, Operations Support Bureau: Functions
G.O. 1008, Patrol Bureau: Functions
CALEA Standards 11.1.1; 11.1.2; 11.2.2; 11.5.1; 11.6.1; 16.2.3; 31.1.1; 52.1.2
 

The major subdivisions of the Colorado Springs Police Department are characterized in General Orders 1002 through 1008.  As functional reorganizations may occur at any time, organizational charts will be revised and reissued annually.
 

DEPARTMENT: "Department" alone and capitalized will be used to describe the Colorado Springs Police Department and includes all subdivisions and personnel under the command of the Chief of Police.

OFFICE:  "Office" refers to a special function, or group of functions, not conforming to standard structural definitions.  Examples of this are the Office of Professional Standards and the Public Information Office.

BUREAU: A "Bureau" is the largest subdivision of the Department and the largest functional organization within the Department. It is commanded by a Deputy Chief.

DIVISION: A "Division" is a functional subdivision of a Bureau. It is commanded by a Commander or Director. As an example, the Operations Support Bureau contains the Central Division and the Investigations Division. This term is also used more loosely to designate either the organizational entity of a Patrol substation or the geographical area served by it.

SECTION: A "Section" is a functional subdivision of a Division. It is commanded by a Lieutenant or Manager.

UNIT: A "Unit" is a functional subdivision of a Section. It is commanded by a Sergeant or Unit Supervisor.

TEAM: "Teams" are groupings of Department Members performing the same functions.

DETAIL: "Details" are the smallest organizational component and may be used to describe a permanent or temporary activity.
 

Members of the Department will coordinate their functions to achieve a high standard of efficiency and maintain unity of command. Department personnel will perform their tasks and duties within the official organizational structure and use the chain of command. 

As a primary means of coordinating Departmental efforts, the Chief of Police or designee shall hold staff meetings, at his/her discretion.  Meetings will include all Bureau Chiefs and, at the discretion of the Chief of Police, may include all Division Commanders, and any other persons whom the Chief may choose to include.  The Office of the Chief shall notify the appropriate personnel of the meetings.  Personnel notified shall make every effort to attend, and shall designate a representative when it is not possible to attend themselves.  Approximately every other meeting is a full staff meeting that includes Division Commanders.  At the full staff meeting, line personnel may attend, on a space available basis.

Similarly, commanders of components at each level shall hold meetings related to the functioning of those components.
 

Overall responsibility for the planning and research functions of the Department shall be vested in the Staff, which consists of the Chief of Police, all Bureau Chiefs, and all Division Directors. The Staff shall be responsible for preparing the annual Goals and Objectives of the Department, including the goals of its specific components, for formulating multiyear plans, and for internal and external coordination. In keeping with the functional organization of the Department, specific planning duties shall be decentralized and, wherever operationally appropriate, performed by the organizational component having primary responsibility for executing the functions concerned.  The Planning Section, in addition to its specifically assigned functions, shall provide planning and research assistance to all components of the Department.

As part of their responsibilities in organizational planning, Staff will ensure that all relevant data, such as crime analysis and resource availability, are considered in developing agency tactics, strategies, and long-range plans.
 

Members of the Department will seek information concerning their official duties from this Operations Manual and from their immediate superiors.
 

All official correspondence directed outside the Department will contain the signature of the Bureau Chief, from the originating Bureau, or the Chief of Police, countersigned by the originator. No Department member will request any equipment or services from agencies outside the Department, unless authorized to do so by the Chief of Police, except under emergency circumstances.

An exception is that, with the approval of their commanding officer, members of any component may communicate with persons or organizations outside the Department, to gain or furnish authorized information, but may not commit the Department to any action or other obligation, without proper authorization.
 

G.O. 1030, Rank and Responsibility
G.O. 1105, Staff Duty Officer
 

The position of Chief of Police is established by Chapter 8, Article 1, Part 1, of the Municipal Code of the City of Colorado Springs:

The Office of Professional Standards, commanded by a Commander, performs and coordinates special administrative duties and activities, and maintains liaison between the Chief's Office and the Department.  The Commander serves as adjutant to the Chief of Police.

Organization: The Office of Professional Standards is, for administrative purposes and those of this Manual, the equivalent of a Division, and is composed of:

Internal Affairs Unit

Public Information Office

Crime Stoppers

Community Relations Unit

Court Liaison Unit

Training Section

Inspection Unit

Human Resources Section 
 

The Internal Affairs Unit is responsible for:

The Public Information Office is responsible for:

Crime Stoppers is responsible for:

The Community Relations Unit is responsible for:

The Court Liaison Unit is responsible for:

The Training Section is responsible for:

The Inspection Unit is responsible for:

• Inspecting systems and operations to determine if they are in accord with department objectives.
• Auditing department operations to determine if organizational units conform to approved policies, plans, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Evaluating department operations to determine if organizational units use resources economically and efficiently, and properly safeguard assets.
• Assuring that CALEA accreditation standards are met.
• Evaluating complaints from any source regarding department procedures, services, or systems.
• Determining the adequacy of services provided to victims, witnesses, and persons in custody.
• Maintaining and publishing inspection guides and check lists for use by department personnel.
• Investigating civil claims against the department.

The Human Resources Section is responsible for: 

• Coordinating Officer of the Month program, Awards Committee, and Employee Resource Team.
• Maintaining liaison with City Human Resources Department, personnel attorney, Workers' Compensation personnel, Affirmative Action Office and Civil Services Commission.
• Dealing with equal opportunity employment, affirmative action, fair labor standards, employee relations, employee benefits.
• Developing procedures to administer personnel functions.
• Researching and evaluating personnel programs. 
• Developing processes for Civil Service tests.
• Maintaining and updating personnel files and automated records, including skills inventory and emergency data.
• Coordinating the Department’s newsletter.
• Preparing Department’s computerized personnel roster.
• Providing new employee semi-annual orientations.
• Coordinating the civilian hiring process.
• Coordinating performance evaluation process.
• Preparing payroll records for City Controllers.
• Interpreting City and Department pay and benefits procedures for employees. 
• Maintaining the Department’s position control numbers.
• Initiating processes for sworn retirements and disability retirements.
• Coordinating job site audits.
• Tracking Workers’ Compensation time and light duty time.
• Maintaining seniority lists.
• Coordinating  employee requisitions and  internal transfers for sworn personnel.
• Administering Extra-Duty Program.
• Notifying the Director of Management Services of situations which should be reviewed for possible disciplinary action. 
• Administering educational reimbursement/employee development program.
• Administering volunteer program.
• Coordinating Senior Victim Assistance Team (SVAT). 
• Coordinating Police Chaplaincy Corps. 
• Coordinating special events, including Medal of Valor luncheon.
• Administering service award program.
• Conducting entry-level testing process in cooperation with City Human Resources Department.

 The Office of Psychological Services reports directly to the Chief of Police and is responsible for:

The Operations Support Bureau is responsible for providing the following comprehensive, specialized and supportive services for the Department:

• Conducting major criminal investigations
• Participating in multi-agency task forces for criminal investigation purposes within an expanded jurisdiction
• Providing polygraph services
• Providing canine services
• Responding to situations requiring special weapons and/or tactics
• Providing crisis negotiation functions
• Providing air support
• Planning and scheduling all police activities at special events
• Communications services
• Police Records and Identification services
• Developing programs and policies, researching products, performing special projects and planning analysis
• Providing financial services for the Department
• Coordinating vehicle purchase and maintenance
• Processing and handling all property and evidence
• Developing and operating Department information technology

Organization: The Operations Support Bureau, commanded by a Deputy Chief of Police, is made up of the following:

• Investigations Division
• Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division
• Central Division
• Management Services Division

The Investigations Division is composed of the following:

• Major Crimes Section
• Special Services Section
• Records and Identification Section
• Polygraph Unit
• Investigations Support

The Major Crimes Section is responsible for:

• Investigating and assisting in the prosecution of major crimes committed or originating in the City of Colorado Springs, including homicides, sex crimes, and aggravated assaults
• Investigating and assisting in prosecuting crimes committed by, against, or otherwise concerning juveniles, not including property crimes
• Providing assistance to victims of certain crimes

Organization:  Sworn members of units in the Major Crimes Section are cross-trained to permit augmentation of any of the Section's investigative units as needed.  The Section consists of:

• Robbery Unit   
• Homicide/Assault Unit
• Sex Crimes Unit
• Fugitive Unit 
• Juvenile Offender Unit
• Victim Services Unit

The Robbery Unit is responsible for:

• Locating and arresting suspects of robbery crimes
• Assembling and presenting complete investigations with the filing District Attorney
• Providing investigative technical assistance to the Patrol Bureau involving on-scene support, surveillance, and legal document preparation and guidance
• Participating in the prosecutorial phase of felony and misdemeanor cases
• Conducting special investigations at the request of supervisory officers

The Homicide/Assault Unit is responsible for:

• Investigating criminal homicides involving adults and juveniles
• Investigating felony assaults involving adults and juveniles
• Investigating felony kidnappings involving adults and juveniles
• Investigating felony extortion involving adults
• Investigating deaths of adults and juveniles if the cause and manner is undetermined or suspicious
• Investigating officer-involved shootings, at the direction of the Deputy Chief, Operations Support Bureau
• Investigating missing person cases of a suspicious nature involving either juveniles or adults

The Sex Crimes Unit is responsible for:

• Investigating sex crimes committed by, against, or involving juveniles and adults
• Investigating reported and suspected child abuse and neglect
• Investigating deaths of infants, if the cause or manner is undetermined or suspicious
• Investigating parental kidnappings and violations of custody
• Investigating cases involving multiple indecent exposures
• Maintaining photographic files of known child abusers, known sex offenders, and of juveniles involved in criminal activities
• Coordinating information with the Analytic Support Unit and Department of Social Services

The Fugitive Unit is responsible for:

• Conducting investigations and effecting arrests of persons wanted on felony warrants resulting from CSPD criminal cases
• Coordinating with outside agencies on requests for assistance in locating and arresting persons wanted on outside felony warrants, as directed
• Receiving and following up on information received from a variety of investigative sources or informants regarding wanted felony fugitives and attempting their arrest, as assigned
• Coordinating with Crime Stoppers of the Pikes Peak Region, other agencies, and the Public Information Officer on media release of information concerning wanted persons, details of unsolved crimes, and appeals to the general public for information about other criminal activities
• Conducting follow-up investigation and criminal filing of felony escape cases
• Arresting fugitives from justice

The Juvenile Offender Unit is responsible for:

• Maintaining a manageable list of targeted juvenile habitual/violent offenders
• Proactively opening new cases on targeted offenders
• Enhancing investigations on existing cases involving targeted offenders
• Investigating all cases involving targeted juvenile offenders
• Maintaining files on targeted offenders in concert with the Analytic Support Unit's SHO/DI Program
• Serving as special investigators and as advisory investigators for the Grand Jury
• Serving as advisory witnesses to the trial attorney for considerations of adult trial proceedings
• Filing appropriate court orders for civil seizures involving targeted offenders
• Serving as special liaisons with Juvenile Probation and Parole for enforcement of rules and orders
• Participating in specialized investigations at the direction of the Major Crimes Commanding Officer or higher authority

Victim Services Investigative Specialists are responsible for:

• Interviewing and furnishing crisis intervention and information to all sexual assault victims on a 24-hour basis, and to victims of other crimes against persons at the supervisor's discretion
• Preparing witnesses for court
• Testifying as expert witnesses
• Furnishing follow-up and referral information to victims
• Providing in-service training and consultation to law enforcement, attorneys, schools, and other agencies or groups involved with sexual assault victims

The Special Services Section is responsible for:

• Investigating forgeries and felony frauds by check
• Investigating felony fraudulent use of financial transaction devices
• Investigating felony criminal frauds against consumers
• Investigating serial or pattern financially motivated Identity Theft
• Providing laboratory forensic examination of computer related electronic media 
• Providing forensic crime scene and laboratory support for all Bureaus
• Investigating cases relating to stolen property bought or sold through pawn shops, gold and silver dealers, and flea markets

The Special Services Section consists of the:

• Financial Crimes Unit
• Metro Crime Lab
• Pawn Shop Unit
• Computer Forensics Unit

The Financial Crimes Unit is responsible for:

• Investigating serial or pattern cases of financially motivated criminal Identity Theft
• Investigating felony check and Financial Transaction Device (credit card) forgeries
• Operating as liaison with the District Attorney's Regional Check Fraud Unit on misdemeanor frauds by check
• Investigating felony criminal consumer fraud and other white collar crimes as assigned
• Coordinating with the Patrol Bureau for service of misdemeanor summonses concerning check and criminal consumer frauds investigated by the District Attorney's Office

The Metro Crime Lab is responsible for:

• Providing forensic science services to the members of the Colorado Springs Police Department, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, other law enforcement agencies, the courts, and citizens, as directed by the Investigations Division Commander
• Processing crime scenes as assigned
• Developing black and white and color photographic negatives and prints, as needed
• Providing chemical analysis of drugs taken into evidence and blood alcohol specimens
• Providing expert courtroom testimony relating to forensic services performed
• Providing technical expertise and expert court testimony for fingerprint identification and blood spatter evidence
• Entering fingerprints into the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)

The Pawn Shop Unit is responsible for:

• Investigating selected cases relating to stolen property bought or sold through pawn shops, gold and silver dealers, and flea markets
• Monitoring pawn shops, gold and silver dealers, and flea markets to insure their compliance with applicable city ordinances and state statutes
• Coordinating with other units and outside agencies in discovering and disrupting fencing operations
• Maintaining paper and/or computerized files of:
• Records of transactions between citizens and gold and silver dealers within Colorado Springs or El Paso County.
• Records of transactions on all items taken in at pawn shops within Colorado Springs or El Paso County

The Computer Forensics Unit is responsible for:

• Conducting forensic laboratory analysis and providing expert courtroom testimony concerning evidentiary contents of computer-related electronic media seized in the course of criminal investigations
• Conducting felony investigations of selected and unusually complex computer related and high-technology crimes, such as those involving criminal attacks against major computer networks which are physically located in Colorado Springs
• Assisting officers in the development of computer related criminal investigations and search warrants
• Providing on-scene field support for the execution of search warrants and initial examination of computer media in situations that are beyond the technical capabilities of the investigating officers
• Providing consultation, training, and technical resources to officers on methods for handling, seizing, and securing computer related evidence

The Records and Identification Section is composed of the following:

• Records and Identification Unit
• Data Entry Unit

The Records and Identification Unit is responsible for: 

• Maintaining centralized criminal records system through collection, dissemination, and storage of crime and traffic records
• Purging records systems in accordance with state laws
• Booking of prisoners
• Managing and supplying identification information on persons for the department and other criminal justice agencies
• Providing fingerprinting services for the department and the public
• Maintaining an archives system for official police records
• Accepting service and processingResponding to subpoenas duces tecum and other court processes for production, at the direction of the Office of Professional Standards

The Data Entry Unit is responsible for:

• Preparing and entering data from source documents pertaining to law
  enforcement activities as performed by the Department
• Entry of data from source documents, including traffic tickets, parking tickets, offense reports, arrest documents, field interview reports and calls for services
• Editing and coding arrest source documents for entry
• Retrieving statistical data from appropriate computer systems and files
• Entering statistical data into State computers for UCR and NIBRS requirements

The Polygraph Unit is responsible for:

• Scheduling and performing polygraph examinations of persons involved in criminal cases at the request of the investigating officer
• Providing written evaluations to the investigating officer concerning the truthfulness of the person tested
• Scheduling and performing polygraph examinations of persons under consideration for employment by the Department
• Scheduling and performing polygraph examinations of persons who have applied for assignment to certain sensitive positions
• Scheduling and performing polygraph examinations for other agencies and organizations, by special direction
• Maintaining polygraph chart files of persons examined

Investigations Support includes:

• Analytic Support Unit (Investigations Crime Analysis)
• Clerical Support

The Metropolitan Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence Division (Metro VNI) is staffed by officers from several local law enforcement agencies and is commanded by a Commander of the Colorado Springs Police Department.  Its area of jurisdiction encompasses El Paso County and Teller County.  Responsibilities of Metro VNI are:

• Investigating  crimes concerning controlled  substances
• Investigating vice-related crimes
• Obtaining and processing intelligence information
• Maintaining criminal intelligence files

Organization: Metro VNI is composed of:

• Street Investigation Unit (two teams)
• DEA Task Force
• Intelligence Unit (Liquor Enforcement and PASS Team)
• Clandestine Laboratory Team
• ATF/CSPD Gun Unit

The Street Investigation Unit is composed of two teams, with the following responsibilities:

• Investigating street-level drug sales, possession, and use
• Conducting follow-up investigations and filing charges, in cases within the Section's purview, which have been initiated by other elements of the involved agencies

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force is responsible for:

• Conducting in-depth investigations of major drug organizations and money laundering
• Investigation and preparation for the prosecution of major violators of federal and state controlled substance laws operating at interstate and international levels
• Management of a national drug intelligence program in cooperation with federal, state, local, and foreign officials to collect, analyze, and disseminate strategic and operational drug intelligence information
• Seizure and forfeiture of assets derived from, traceable to, or intended to be used for illicit drug trafficking
• Enforcement of the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act as they pertain to the manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of legally produced controlled substances
• Coordination and cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials on mutual drug enforcement efforts and enhancement of such efforts through exploitation of potential interstate and international investigations beyond local or limited federal jurisdictions and resources

The Intelligence Unit is responsible for:

• Receiving, analyzing, and evaluating all intelligence reports generated by CSPD and other agencies in the two counties
• Enhancing intelligence data to prepare cases for the proper investigative units
• Conducting background investigations on applicants for liquor licenses within El Paso County and Colorado Springs
• Investigating crimes of vice (prostitution, gambling, liquor, pornography, and similar crimes)
• Coordinating and providing security for visiting dignitaries and VIPs
• Maintaining special files and intelligence related data that meets the applicable Federal Guidelines of 28 CFR Part 23, and regularly purge these files in accordance with this standard and the regular practices of the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit (L.E.I.U) guidelines

The Intelligence Unit also includes Liquor Enforcement and the PASS Team.

The Liquor Enforcement Unit is composed of officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. It is responsible for: 

• Collecting information about possible liquor law violations throughout El Paso County 
• Investigating allegations of violations by establishments which sell liquor 
• Investigating allegations of persons or establishments selling or otherwise supplying liquor to persons under the legal drinking age
• Conducting surveillance and undercover investigations of possible violators 
• Coordinating with military officials in instances involving liquor-related violations by military personnel 
• Assisting in the prosecution of violators in the courts, and testifying at hearings of the  local licensing authorities (Colorado Springs Liquor Board and the Board of County Commissioners) as well as the State Licensing Board
• Coordinating with the Colorado Springs City Clerk's Office in matters concerning liquor licenses
• Undertaking special investigations of liquor-related matters in Teller County upon request 

The Police Accountability Service Standards (PASS) Team is comprised of officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department.  It is responsible for:

• Improving quality of life within target area boundaries and investigating target crimes in those areas
• Providing immediate response to crimes that would otherwise be a low priority and would probably not be in-progress by the time a patrol officer was able to respond
• Building trust between the community and the police
• Enlisting business and residential community involvement to identify violations and violators
• Eliminating prostitution and open air narcotics within the target area(s)
• Working primarily in plain clothes in undercover vehicles, on foot, or riding bicycles, and occasionally wearing VNI black police uniforms and utilizing a patrol car
• Being visible in the PASS areas on a daily basis
• Adjusting shift hours according to need and information obtained, in order to give the appearnace of working 24/7
• Distributing pager numbers to the public and responding immediately if possible to otherwise lower priority in-progress calls for service
• Using limited-tolerance on all violations to include when arresting confidential informants

The ATF/CSPD Gun Unit is a collaborative effort between the Colorado Springs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in conducting investigations into the possession of illegal guns. The Colorado Springs Police Department portion of the unit is staffed by a Sergeant and four officers.

The Central Division, commanded by a Commander, provides traffic-related functions and a wide range of specialized services throughout the City. The Central Division consists of:

• Patrol Support Section
• Public Safety Communications Section
  

The Patrol Support Section provides supportive and specialized services for all Divisions and performs some non-Divisional tasks.  In addition to its regularly constituted units, it serves as the administrative control for certain on-call tactical units which are staffed when needed by designated and specially trained officers normally assigned to other duties. It is responsible for:

• Conducting and administering the Handicapped Parking Enforcement Program
• Providing canine services
• Performing all functions concerning explosives
• Performing crisis negotiation functions
• Responding to situations requiring special weapons and/or tactics

Organization:  The Patrol Support Section is composed of the following units:

• Canine Unit
• Explosive Ordinance Detail (EOD)Regional Explosives Unit 
• Crisis Negotiation Team
• Tactical Enforcement Unit
• Motor Carrier Safety Unit   
• Air Support Unit
• Airport Police Unit
• Special Events Unit 
• Code Enforcement

The Canine Unit generally works as an adjunct to Patrol, but is available to assist any element of the Police Department.  Special qualifications of canines are their sense of smell, night vision, sensitive hearing, and ability to serve as a deterrent to violence against officers.  The unit is responsible for:

• Maintaining trained and ready canines for deployment
• Using the dogs to detect contraband (explosives and/or narcotics)
• Covering special events at the direction of the Patrol Support commanding officer
• Performing routine patrol functions when not otherwise engaged

Examples of functions for which the Canine Unit is specially suited include building searches, field searches, tracking and scent-detection deployments, and covering officers on calls for service.  As a public relations and public education tool, the canine teams are used to demonstrate their own abilities, to improve public understanding of their uses, and to underscore the Police Department's functions in public safety and crime control.

The EOD Regional Explosives Unit is an additional assignment for officers regularly assigned to other units.  The team can be called out at any time for situations requiring the use of trained explosives experts. The EOD Regional Explosives Unit is responsible for providing technical and investigative support for: 

• Accidental explosions
• Bomb threats
• Unlawful possession, use, removal of explosives
• Bombings (including fire-bombings)
• Found bombs, explosives, ordinance
• Incidents related to the above
• Storage and maintenance of explosives evidence
• Transportation, storage, destruction of recovered explosives

Special duties include:

• Response to bomb threats at the Municipal Airport. Response to bombs on-board aircraft diverted to Colorado Springs
• Emergency and technical assistance for hazardous materials incidents involving explosive compounds
• Support for special details where explosives may present a threat or hazard
• Limited assistance to outside agencies in the event of emergencies and special requests
• Law enforcement safety, technical, and specialized training and information
• Public safety training and information
• Maintain files on all deployments and training

The Tactical Enforcement Unit is responsible for:

• Maintaining a mobile specially-trained tactical team to intervene in any critical incidents requiring their skills.  Examples of appropriate use of this unit include sniper situations, aircraft hijackings, rescuing officers, armed or barricaded suspects, hostage situations, civil disturbances, and high-risk arrests or warrant service
• Conducting selective enforcement actions, such as intervention in patterned crimes requiring special uniformed or plain-clothes strategies
• Providing support for special details or events such as VIP security, high-profile conferences, major civic gatherings, witness protection, major crime-scene security, special surveillance, and high-risk prisoner escorts
• Providing support in disasters and unusual occurrences, as assigned

Special duties:

• Conducting limited security surveys of high-level military offices, offices of public officials, and sensitive civilian corporations within the City limits, upon request of proper authority
• Furnishing limited in-service and specialized training to Department members and other law-enforcement agencies
• Providing limited assistance to outside agencies for emergencies, by request
• Maintaining files of all security surveys, tactical contingency plans and maps, tactical in-service training records, and tactical deployment recap reports

The Motor Carrier Safety Unit is responsible for:   

• Specialized enforcement of commercial vehicle statutes and ordinances
• Promoting motor carrier safety through a vehicle inspection program
• Identification and enforcement of defective equipment and unqualified operators
• Identification and enforcement of hazardous materials violations
• Compliance with commercial vehicle registrations and weight compliance
• Enforcing truck route compliance
• Enforcing load spill violations
• Enforcing SMM/SME registrations at construction sites
• Maintaining a good working relationship with the Port of Entry and Colorado State Patrol MCSU
• Educating commercial vehicle owners and operators through presentations regarding FMCSR
• Assist with "commercial vehicle involved" traffic accident investigations

Ensure compliance through FMCSR

Assist MAU with serious injury and fatal accident investigations involving commercial vehicles

Assist Code Enforcement and Parking Enforcement with commercial vehicle parking violations

The Air Support Unit is responsible for:

• Providing an aerial platform with the primary mission of assisting the patrol function

Aircraft are deployed during peak calls for service times and are available to assist with special operations for the Patrol Bureau.  Aircraft are also utilized by Metro VNI involving surveillance operations.

The Airport Police Unit is responsible for:   

• Maintaining order and enforcing the laws, which are comprised of the criminal and traffic codes for local, state and federal jurisdictions
• Supporting the passenger screening effort as required of certificated air carriers, and responding as quickly and safely as possible when summoned by airline personnel
• Working with the director of aviation or his designee on matters relating to airport and aviation security
• Conducting consent frisks for weapons when a passenger or other member of the public who wishes access to the sterile concourse cannot be cleared by detection devices or at the request of the air carrier
• When summoned, responding to all other non-screening related incidents which warrant the presence of a police officer
• Determining departmental and community needs and communicate it to the director of aviation or his designated representative 

Maintaining contact with the community to ensure productive police and community spirit and maintain the highest possible level of professional competence and conduct

The Special Events Unit is responsible for:

• Staffing all special events
• Coordinating with the Extra-Duty Office to staff special events
• Updating schedules for recurring special events
• Planning and scheduling police functions for non-recurring activities
• Supervising and managing the Parking Enforcement and Handicap Parking Enforcement Programs

The Code Enforcement Unit is responsible for:

• Inspecting residential dwellings and multi-family dwellings
• Condemning dwellings that are unfit for human occupancy
• Responding to complaints regarding sanitation, junk unlicensed/inoperable/abandoned vehicles, weeds, animal droppings, graffiti, light intrusion, noise, corner visibility, recreational vehicles, temporary signs, and litter
• Conducting follow-up investigations to assure compliance with City Codes
• Entering data from source documents and field inspections
• Retrieving statistical data from appropriate computer systems and files

The Public Safety Communications Section is responsible for:

• Radio dispatching service for all mobile field units
• Maintaining direct radio contact and intra-City and intra-County link radio contact with other law enforcement agencies and City Departments
• Relaying information regarding unusual incidents to specialized Department units and other law enforcement agencies, or to City departments as required
• Using a computer-aided dispatch system (CAD) to:
• Inputting information received, and process telephone requests for police, fire, and medical assistance, and general information
• Entering, dispatching, updating, monitoring, and clearing calls for service with appropriate activity information
• Maintaining records of calls for service, specific address hazard information, duty rosters, staff assignments, specialized unit and Department personnel and pager assignments
• Maintaining lists of locations and responsible persons to call out, as needed
• Providing medical self-help to citizens prior to arrival of emergency response equipment
• Providing radio patching between field EMS units and area hospitals
• Monitoring National Weather Warning System (NAWAS) and flood levels
• Monitoring fire alarm system for Police Operations Center (POC)
• Providing a monthly statistical report that reflects productivity of Communications Center
• Maintaining current lists of businesses, hospitals, apartment complexes, schools, City parks, etc., for locations and responsible persons for callout, as needed
• Accessing call-out lists and records of Department personnel, City personnel, victim assistance agencies, and specialized personnel available after-hours
• Receiving and processing radio and telephone requests from all Department personnel
• Maintaining and operating 24-hour tape recording equipment and tapes of all incoming and outgoing telephone and radio messages
• Hiring and training new Communications personnel as well as training other Department personnel in Communications policies and procedures
• Ongoing in-service training for permanent and probationary Communications personnel

Special functions:  The Public Safety Communications Section maintains the following special files:

• Daily and monthly reports on Communications training
• Monthly reports on Communications activity, organized by shift
• 24-hour tapes of all incoming and outgoing telephone and radio messages that are retained for up to three years, unless longer retention is needed for evidential reasons.  Retention includes files of associated documents, such as subpoenas duces tecum, departmental hold requests, logs of tapes on file
• Daily logs of vehicle towing activity, including repossessions, City and private property tows, as well as official towing requests
• Daily logs of Police Impound Lot security guard check-in information

Organization:  The Public Safety Communications Section consists of:

• Communications Manager
• Senior Analyst
• Training Specialist
• Public Safety Communications Supervisors
• Public Safety Dispatchers
• Emergency Response Technicians

The Management Services Division, commanded by a civilian Director, is responsible for:

• Developing programs and policies, researching products, performing special projects and planning analysis
• Developing and administering grant programs
• Providing financial services, such as accounts receivable and payable, purchasing, inventory, and supply
• Conducting manpower analyses and preparing the annual Manpower Projection Report
• Preparing various status reports to city administration
• Coordinating vehicle purchase and maintenance, as well as repair and maintenance of police buildings
• Processing and handling all property, evidence, and vehicles while in the custody of the department
• Preparing and administering the department's annual budget
• Preparing and administering the department's capital improvement needs and budget  
• Coordinating the planning, financing, and acquisition of capital facilities and equipment
• Preparing long-range plans and projection models
• Preparing management, organizational, and cost/benefit analyses and making results available to department staff and affected operating units  
• Developing and implementing computer applications and supporting all elements of the department
• Operating and maintaining the department's central and remote computer systems

Organization: The Management Services Division consists of:

• Information Technology Section
• Fiscal Services and Planning Section
• Police Logistics Support Section

The Information Technology Section consists of the System Support Unit and the Software Development Unit.

The System Support Unit is responsible for:

• Operating the department's central and remote computer systems
• Developing and maintaining the data and telecommunications networks and systems for the department
• Developing and providing specifications and estimated costs for computer hardware, software, and related equipment
• Operating the department's Customer Service Center

The Software Development Unit is responsible for:

• Developing and implementing computer applications and systems supporting all elements of the department
• Providing program maintenance and enhancements to existing applications and systems to meet user needs

The Fiscal Services and Planning Section consists of the:

• Financial Services Unit
• Grants Unit
• Planning Unit
  

The Financial Services Unit is responsible for:

• Coordinating all purchases of the Department
• Processing accounts payable and receivable
• Auction accounting
• Travel and expense summary processing
• Correlating expenditures with budgetary allocations
• Monitoring and reporting the status of the Departmental budget
• Auditing the Metro VNI buy fund and other cash funds
• Preparing specifications for special purposes and contracts
• Monitoring grant fund status
  

The Grants Unit is responsible for:

• Monitoring external funding sources and opportunities to augment departmental resources
• Assisting with the development of grant application proposals
• Reviewing and coordinating all grant applications
• Processing grant awards
• Maintaining grant files that contain all grant-related documentation and correspondence
• Providing review of proposals, applications, and revisions
• Managing internal/external review processes for approval and signatures on grant documents
• Maintaining the grant tracking database
  

The Planning Unit is responsible for:

• Coordinating all department staff research 
• Processing requests for department policy changes 
• Researching and drafting general orders
• Performing forms development and control functions
• Conducting research pertaining to actual or proposed legislative changes
• Responding to inquiries concerning the effects of existing law and legal decisions on department procedures
• Conducting research, preparing special project reports as directed, and insuring that reports are provided to staff and to all involved organizational components
• Reviewing and coordinating departmental input on all items circulated by City Planning, including land use, zoning, annexation, master planning, and transportation matters
• Maintaining a repository of research and management information, including copies of research projects, studies, and surveys which affect the policies, procedures, operations, and management of the department
• Providing staff support for task forces as directed
• Conducting and reporting on product evaluations
• Researching options for improvements in service delivery, making recommendations, and designing program changes
• Reviewing articles written by department members for publication, and making recommendations concerning approval to the Chief of Police
• Managing ICMA benchmarking projects
• Developing and analyzing annual manpower projections
• Coordinating special projects that support the department's strategic initiatives

The Police Logistics Support Section consists of the:

• Fleet Services Unit
• Facility Services Unit
• Evidence Services Unit
• Supply Unit
  

The Fleet Services Unit is responsible for:

• Transporting vehicles for service and repair
• Assuring quality control of repairs
• Coordinating preventive maintenance and breakdown repair
• Monitoring fleet maintenance expenditures
• Preparing specifications for vehicleand accessory equipment purchases and coordinate acquisitions and installations
• Coordinating use and maintenance of the Mobile Command Post

The Facility Services Unit is responsible for:

• Arranging and scheduling repair and maintenance of department buildings
• Monitoring custodial, grounds, and snow removal contracts
• Coordinating department radio issuance and repair
  

The Evidence Services Unit is responsible for:

• Receiving and storing found property, contraband, and evidence
• Maintaining inventory, chain of custody, and other records pertaining to property, contraband, and evidence
• Transporting evidence to and from various laboratories and substations
• Disposing of, releasing, or destroying property which is no longer of use to the department
• Receiving, inspecting, and maintaining inventory of vehicles which are abandoned, impounded, or seized for evidence or civil proceedings
• Releasing vehicles, evidence, and property to authorized receivers
• Arranging for vehicle auctions and bicycle auctions
• Monitoring billing for departmental tows
• Maintaining the Police Impound Lot
• Assuring compliance with state and local requirements concerning stolen, abandoned, or otherwise impounded vehicles.
• Monitoring the department’s towing contracts and rotation agreements

• Maintaining a central receiving and supply facility
• Tagging and inventorying all fixed assets
• Maintaining an interdepartmental mail delivery system

The purpose of this General Order is to specify the organizational structure and duties of the Patrol Bureau and its components.
 

G.O. 1030, Rank and Responsibility
Patrol SOP P1-143
CALEA Standards 11.1.1; 33.6.1; 42.1.4; 45.1.1; 61.1.1; 61.1.5; 61.1.10; 61.4.4; 73.1.1; 74.2.2
 

The mission of the Patrol Bureau, in partnership with the citizens of Colorado Springs, is to ensure public safety and order by providing police services; to react to and resolve life threatening tactical incidents; to provide traffic control, education, and enforcement; to investigate and report on crimes; and, to work with the community to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, and enhance the quality of life in our City.

The Patrol Bureau is responsible for the administrative and operational planning, implementation, and reporting, in support of all patrol and traffic functions. The Patrol Bureau will provide direct operational services to the City of Colorado Springs, through the geographical Division structure.

Organization: The Patrol Bureau, commanded by a Deputy Chief of Police, is made up of the following components:

• Falcon Division - North
• Gold Hill Division - Southwest
• Sand Creek Division - Southeast
• Stetson Hills Division - Northeast

Each geographical Patrol Division, under the direction of a Commander, is responsible for ensuring public safety and order, within its assigned boundaries, and for rendering assistance to the public, to other agencies, and to other elements of the Police Department, as needed.  Except for functions performed by specialized units, the Division's Patrol units are responsible for all law enforcement and crime prevention activities in that section of the City.

Responsibilities of Patrol personnel are necessarily broad and will vary according to the dictates of specific situations. Their main functions are outlined in General Order 1030, Rank and Responsibilities.
 

A Commander is in charge of a Division and is assisted by three Lieutenants. Each Lieutenant assumes command of a Patrol Shift, according to report times and hour of day deployments (i.e., Day shift, Swing shift and Night shift). Lieutenants are assigned specific responsibilities based upon a management approach that corresponds with the Department's philosophy and strategy of community-based Problem Oriented Policing.  These duties are listed in Patrol SOP P1-143 .

Various report times will occur within each designated shift. Overall shift designations are specified by time of day.  Lieutenants and Sergeants are assigned to shifts and share responsibility, and authority, to effectively plan and coordinate patrol service delivery within the Division and across shift and Division boundaries.

The following specialized units operate within the Divisional Command structure.

• Divisional Investigative Services Unit - supervised by a Sergeant 

The Divisional Investigative Services function is decentralized and operates under the Divisional structure at each substation. Duties include:

• Conducting investigative follow-up on a wide range of criminal events including, but not limited to, burglary, theft, auto theft, menacing, first-degree criminal trespass, criminal impersonation, and harassing phone calls.
• Coordinating with the District Attorney's Office on the filing of cases and other prosecutorial functions.
• Developing investigative interdiction strategies based upon data provided by Crime Analysis.
• Coordinating and supervising the effective operation of the Victim Contact Program.
• Cooperating closely with patrol units, Crime Analysts, Crime Prevention Officers, and citizens, to develop and implement strategies for preventing crimes within the areas served by the respective Patrol Divisions.

• Traffic - supervised bya Sergeant two sergeants (a motor sergeant supervises the Neighborhood Traffic Unit and another sergeant supervises school enforcement and accident investigations).

The traffic enforcement, education, and prevention function is decentralized and operates under the Divisional structure at each substation. Its personnel are divided into specialized services based upon function.

Neighborhood Traffic Unit Duties:

• Neighborhood traffic complaints
• Traffic-related problems within the division.
• Providing escort service for VIPs, as requested.
• Working special events, as required.
• Traffic enforcement at specific identified locations/areas such as Top 25 accident locations, Red Light violations, etc.

DUI Enforcement Unit Duties:

• Making officer-initiated D.U.I. arrests.
• Assisting patrol officers in processing D.U.I. arrests.
• Making D.U.I. traffic safety presentations, upon request.
• Maintaining the D.U.I. Room and equipment at the division level.

School Enforcement Unit Duties:

• Monitoring elementary and secondary school zones for traffic violations.
• Training school crossing guards.
• Training school bus drivers on rules of the road.
• Making traffic safety presentations, upon request.

Accident Investigation Unit Duties:

• Investigating injury and non-injury accidents as dispatched
• Investigating all fatal traffic accidents 
• Filing all felony traffic cases
• Filing all habitual traffic offender cases
• Managing the Accident Response Teams  
• Traffic Enforcement
• Making traffic safety presentations, upon request

• Neighborhood Policing Units - supervised by a Sergeant 

The Neighborhood Policing Units (NPU) are specially trained teams of officers, who provide community-oriented policing from a problem-solving perspective, as well as classroom instruction, as part of our comprehensive School Based Program initiatives. Its personnel are divided into specialized services, based upon function.

NPU is made up of Neighborhood Resource Officers, School Resource Officers, Prevention Resource Officers, DARE Officers, and a Crime Prevention Officer.

Neighborhood Resource Officer (NRO) Duties:

• Open and maintain two-way communication between the geographical areas and the aligned supervisors and sector officers assigned, as well as being the liaison for the Department with a community of interest.
• Effectively mobilize agency and community resources to create a safer, healthier and more satisfying environment in a specific community.
• Cultivate relationships with community groups, businesses, public and private agencies, and others to exchange information and to examine ways of bringing resources to bear upon problems of mutual interest.
• Assist Division Crime Prevention efforts to coordinate activities of pre-existing Neighborhood, Business, and Apartment Watch groups, and assist in organizing new groups, upon request or through outreach efforts in targeted areas.
• Assist sector officers by coaching and mentoring them through Problem-Oriented Policing projects and Directed Activity efforts.
• Coordinate efforts to acquire resources and support to address large-scale community problems, or specific crime pattern problems, within geographical areas.
• Prepare periodic reports on goals and objectives, accomplishments by area and crime types, and ensure that problem solving project documentation is properly maintained (i.e., timely and detailed).

School Resource Officer/Prevention Resource Officer/DARE Officer Duties:

• Conduct programs to prevent crime and enhance police/school relations.
• Teach prevention curricula, such as Project Alert and DARE, in the middle schools or elementary schools, as appropriate.
• Provide a proactive approach against juvenile delinquency, through coaching and mentoring, by promoting positive contacts between youth and the police.
• Deploy on foot, bike, or vehicle into targeted neighborhoods to act as both a primary police presence, during assigned hours, and an in-depth problem solver in that community of interest.

Crime Prevention Officer Duties:

• Coordinating crime prevention presentations to the community.
• Managing the Neighborhood, Business, and Apartment Watch Programs.
• Maintaining a liaison with and coordinating presentations for schools.
• Developing and maintaining community contacts.
• Coordinating residential and commercial physical security surveys.
• Providing prevention resources and expertise to Divisions.

• Crime Analysis

The Crime Analysis function is decentralized and operates under the Divisional structure at each substation. Its personnel are responsible for:

• Collecting, collating and analyzing data from case reports, supplements, and other sources that relate to target crimes.
• Maintaining computer databases on above listed data.
• Performing searches and comparisons of data, to identify patterns and crime trends.
• Responding to inquiries about patterns and crime trends.
• Disseminating information about crime patterns and trends.

• Marshal's Unit - supervised by a Sergeant  

The Marshal's Unit is assigned to the Gold Hill Division and responsible for:

• Providing court security and assistance to the Municipal Court system.
• Furnishing prisoner transport from jail to Municipal Court.
• Furnishing prisoner and arrestee transport of various kinds, when available.
• Serving arrest warrants, issued by a Court, when the defendant is contacted in the course of serving Municipal Court legal process.
• Serving all writs and processes within the County of El Paso, as directed by a municipal judge.
• Preparing adult and juvenile re-writes into Municipal or other courts, at the direction of the City Attorney's Office, in order to reset another case that was dismissed.
• Serving Summons and Complaints or a Juvenile Complaint and Referral, originated and verified by a police officer employed by the City of Colorado Springs.

• City Administration Building and Utilities Building Security Unit - staffed with two uniformed officers

The City Administration Building and Utilities Building Unit is assigned to the Gold Hill Division and is responsible for:

• Insuring overall security for the City Administration Building and the Utilities Building.
• Answering security alarms within those buildings.
• Assuring safety of employees and visitors.
• Assisting in fire alarm evacuations.
• Monitoring the buildings' security cameras.
• Enforcing parking regulations in City Parking Garage #2.
• Performing routine police functions within and around the buildings.

G.O. 1183, Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs)
G.O. 1030, Rank and Responsibility
G.O. 1040, Principles of Supervision
SOP P1-143, Patrol Lieutenant Responsibilities
SOP P1-153, Patrol Sergeants Responsibilities

The department embraces and utilizes the principles of unity of command.  It is recognized, however, that policing is dynamic and constantly changing.  One of the basic missions of the department is to provide police services with integrity and a spirit of excellence.  It is for this purpose that, from time to time, the department will explore, implement, and evaluate innovative approaches to supervision, management, and organization within various components.  These approaches may have variations from the traditional unity of command principles and these areas will be assessed for their efficiency and effectiveness.

CHAIN OF COMMAND: Chain Of Command is a series of positions, each of which is directly commanded by the one immediately above it. Although a department member may have numerous subordinates, s/he has only one immediate supervisor.  Each organizational component is under the direct command of only one supervisor. 

The chain of command of the department will be as follows: Chief of Police, Deputy Chief, Commander or Director, Lieutenant or Manager, Sergeant or Unit Supervisor, Police Officer or line worker.

The Chief of Police will appoint an Acting Chief of Police to serve during the Chief's absence.  During the period of appointment, the Acting Chief has the same powers and authority as the Chief of Police and performs the duties of the Chief of Police. If no specific Acting Chief is named, the following order of succession will apply:

1. Deputy Chief of Operations Support Bureau
2. Deputy Chief of Patrol Bureau

Sound management practice demands that each commander or supervisor issue specific orders only to immediate subordinate personnel. The subordinate then issues orders, in the same manner, until the point of implementation is reached.  Due to overlapping shifts and days off patterns, field supervisors will be considered as operationally responsible for directing subordinates, even though they may not be administratively responsible for those subordinates. 

When a deviation from the normal practice is believed justified, a higher authority in that chain of command may issue direct orders.  However, when such action is necessary, all intermediates in the chain of command will be informed.

Command personnel will attempt to limit their orders to an echelon that immediately follows within their chain of command.  If orders conflict, a senior member outside a subordinate's chain of command may issue an order, but will notify the subordinate's supervisor if the new order alters or interferes with previous orders or functions of the subordinate.  The subordinate who receives the conflicting order should also notify his own supervisor immediately.

Upon assuming a new assignment, and continually thereafter, a command officer should critically evaluate all aspects of the command. Newly assigned command officers should review existing policies, procedures, and programs to determine if the need for which they were enacted remains unchanged.

Upon change of command, the commanding officer being replaced has a duty to lend full assistance in making the command transition as smooth and orderly as possible. Orientation of a new co