Law enforcement in Colorado

[Forkieslayer]

Does anyone work in LE in Colorado or know any information about it? I’m looking for a career change in a different state. State patrol or local police. Thanks

 

[Couescrazy33]

In that career in a different state. In today's world I would not recommend getting into it. Especially in a liberal state

 

[Jbehredt]

My wife works in the admin office of our fire dept which shares a building with police. She knows many of the officers by first name. They’re looking for career changes. This is in a nice suburban city. It’s tough for those guys. You know they only eat at places in uniform where they can see their food being prepared? Again, in a nice city.

 

[Marble]

Does anyone work in LE in Colorado or know any information about it? I’m looking for a career change in a different state. State patrol or local police. Thanks

Age, experience and goals? Family??

Some answers I would give would depend on the retirement offered by whatever department.

If interested, look at different departments and see which one seems to fit for you.

In today's age, you will see a lot of people saying they would never go into LE again. I would, but I may have waited, or not gone at all if the current age requirements stay for some agencies.

At a young age I didn't understand or have the experience to know why you don't see a lot of cops in their 50s policing. It is difficult to start in your early 20s and make it nearly 30 years physically. It doesn't seem like it, but it is reality. I think the earliest my Department allows retirement is 55 now, might 57, for new hires. I just can't imagine being 57 and working the beat. I'm in great "physical" shape currently (sort of) but I'm the exception to the rule for guys in their mid 40s.

There are things that have occurred in the last year that give pause to a lot as to whether or not they would ever go into the profession if given the choice to do it all over. I would.

Body cams, in car cameras, GPS, everyone recording you all the time, doesn't bother me, and if it does and you're a cop, you've got a problem.

Be prudent about receiving advice from a veteran cop on career choices. We are known to be OCD and on the high side of paranoid but "normal". And after years on the job, a lot are beyond pessimistic.

Shit that's a long response...sorry!

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[11boo]

If you are serious about this, most every S.O. has openings.

 

[bobr1]

Does anyone work in LE in Colorado or know any information about it? I’m looking for a career change in a different state. State patrol or local police. Thanks

Maybe I’m not understanding, are you already LE and want to change to a different area? Or are you not in LE and want a new career and move to another state? Either way, I have a close friend from the military that went LE recently in a major city and before all this political B.S. started he enjoyed it as he felt he was actually helping the community. Unfortunately, after about a year and with all the stuff going on he literally has to stop doing his job on half the stuff he see’s or is responding to because he can lose not only his career but potentially go to prison if things go south. Now he wants to get out or move out west. Where I live out west, it’s a smaller population and LE is very well respected and appreciated, they are very down to earth people and are just trying to help the community. Police shootings are rare but are always justifiable when they happen. I’m friends with several of them as I volunteer for SAR, which falls under their jurisdiction. Anyways, I would seriously not recommend anywhere like Denver to be in LE if looking at Colorado but any of the more rural and smaller towns would probably be worth it. I had also thought about doing LE after the military, but no way in hell would I do it now when it has become a situation that becomes national news and your are guilty before you have even had a trial and your whole life can be over in a second because of politics. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

 

[Clearedhot1]

Didn’t CO do away with Qualified Immunity? If so, very easy pass.


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[Marble]

Didn’t CO do away with Qualified Immunity? If so, very easy pass.


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Yeah, if they did, I would cross it off my list of places to do LE.

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[JDB9818]

Ive been in LE in Colorado for almost 27 years now. HELL NO I wouldn’t even think of coming to Colorado or getting into LE now.

The job is no longer fun or rewarding, and in fact it’s completely the opposite for me. The Colorado state legislature hates LE and they have put several laws in place reflecting that. Colorado is too liberal now and that isn’t changing any time soon.

I have roughly 4 more years to go but I’d leave in a heart beat today if I could. I know we still need cops but don’t recommend it to anyone who ask me.

Good luck and if you’re serious about it, check out other states.


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[Nickofthewoods]

I worked in EMS and Law Enforcement for many years, both in Colorado mountain communities. I really enjoyed my time in the emergency services fields and had opportunities to advance my career by moving to the city (Denver/Boulder). Ultimately I realized it wasn't my jobs that I loved, it was living and working in the mountains. One thing I learned about law enforcement though is to be good at it and have a long career, it has to be a person's dream to do it. Thank goodness there's a lot of people out there like that because we obviously need them. There are also a lot of officers that shouldn't be doing that job, both mentally and physically. Most agencies in Colorado start new officers and deputies at $20/hour. Is that the kind of money that makes you want to put your ass on the line everyday?

 

[Beaveralum]

A few years back we got a transfer from the CO State Police. Great dude and our department is better for having him. But a guy willing to leave LE in CO to come to OR told me all I needed to know about being LE in CO.

Also if you are considering this line of work, it is nothing like what you see on TV or hear from old time war stories. Most days this job just isn’t worth the pay in vast majority of the country.

In the PNW we get paid really well and that makes up for some of the negatives of the job (i.e. giving tickets for meth/heroin possession, search blood draw search warrants for most all duii’s, etc).

If you do get into LE, find a passion and work your ass off to get into that division. Working a K9 has given me so many training opportunities and has been so rewarding that if I had to go back to working standard patrol I would probably find another line of work. my .02. Feel free to PM me if needed

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Every law enforcement on the Northern Front Range is hiring. Greeley, Ft Collins, Ault, Eaton, Loveland, as well as Larimer and weld county SO. Several are offering really attractive lateral hiring incentives. I would say find a leader you can work for in a system/area you like.

 

[rodney482]

I would look at Wy

 

[zion zig zag]

I worked in EMS and Law Enforcement for many years, both in Colorado mountain communities. I really enjoyed my time in the emergency services fields and had opportunities to advance my career by moving to the city (Denver/Boulder). Ultimately I realized it wasn't my jobs that I loved, it was living and working in the mountains. One thing I learned about law enforcement though is to be good at it and have a long career, it has to be a person's dream to do it. Thank goodness there's a lot of people out there like that because we obviously need them. There are also a lot of officers that shouldn't be doing that job, both mentally and physically. Most agencies in Colorado start new officers and deputies at $20/hour. Is that the kind of money that makes you want to put your ass on the line everyday?

$20/hour sounds low. SLC, UT starts at $28 for graveyards.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

$20/hour sounds low. SLC, UT starts at $28 for graveyards.

It might be more in larger metro departments on the front range, but rural Sheriff's Departments are notoriously low. Within the past few years I've seen some deputy openings in rural counties as low as $17/hr which is a joke when you can make that at Chick-Fil-A.