News Article

(Jan. 4, 2023) - January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The State of Colorado is launching its 2023 campaign to raise awareness via street teams, outreach in unexpected places, and a critical message: Anyone can be a victim. 

Human trafficking can be difficult to recognize. The public may not realize that people don’t always recognize that what they’re experiencing is human trafficking. The 2023 campaign puts into words that gut feeling that something isn’t right. It helps people identify human trafficking for what it is: a crime. 

(Nov. 29, 2022) - Today, the Polis administration, through the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) within the Colorado Department of Public Safety, announced that law enforcement agencies can now apply for grant funding to help them investigate, enforce, prosecute, and disrupt illegal opioids including fentanyl in Colorado.

(Oct. 20, 2022) - Today, Governor Polis joined the Colorado School Safety Resource Center within the Colorado Department of Public Safety at the annual Safe School Summit to discuss strategies to make schools safer. The summit brings together important voices such as community leaders, school officials, parents, law enforcement and mental health professionals to learn and develop innovative strategies for school safety.

(September 20, 2022) - This year, the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims is commemorated on September 24.  This day gives us the opportunity to remember and honor those lost to homicide and their surviving family members.

(Sept. 19, 2022) The  Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) within the Colorado Department of Public Safety has released the latest report analyzing incidents at Colorado schools that resulted in a student’s arrest, summons or ticket during the 2020-2021 school year. 

(Sept. 15, 2022) Today, Governor Polis sent a letter to the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice urging sentencing reforms to promote public safety, reduce crime, and make Colorado communities safer as a part of the Polis Administration’s ongoing work to make Colorado one of the ten safest states in the nation over the next five years. 

(Sept.

(Aug. 25, 2022) - Today, Gov. Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Safety announced that law enforcement workforce grant applications are now open, providing robust funding for recruitment, retention, and training programs to build the public safety workforce for the future. 

(Aug. 2, 2022) This year, Governor Jared Polis signed a comprehensive public safety plan into law. Key components of the Governor’s public safety plan include the creation of new public safety grant programs that will make more than $70 million available to Colorado communities over upcoming years.

(February 16, 2022) - Colorado’s Constitution and statutes clearly define certain rights for victims of crimes. The Victim Rights Act (VRA), in particular, ensures that crime victims are treated with fairness, respect, dignity and that they are free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse. The VRA also helps to ensure that victims are informed of critical stages of the criminal justice process and that they may be present for, and heard, at certain stages as well.