State Security Officers

C.R.S. tit. 24, art. 7

in effect

C.R.S. § 24-7-100.2 Legislative declaration

24-7-100.2. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds that the efforts of security officers employed by institutions of higher education to protect the persons and property of their environments are important elements of effective public safety management. (2) The general assembly acknowledges the operational and environmental acumen of security officers of institutions of higher education regarding their facilities and the importance of including representatives of the institutions in emergency preparedness planning and training efforts conducted by local law enforcement agencies and emergency planning agencies intended to reduce the likelihood of, and develop effective responses to, emergency situations occurring at their facilities. (3) The general assembly hereby encourages ongoing cooperation efforts among local law enforcement agencies, emergency planning agencies, and the security officers of institutions of higher education regarding emergency preparedness and response planning and training and development of communication capabilities supporting effective coordination among these groups during emergencies.

C.R.S. § 24-7-101 State institutions authorized to employ security officers

24-7-101. State institutions authorized to employ security officers. The institutions, agencies, and departments of state government, including any institution of higher education, are hereby authorized to employ security officers to protect the property of the institution, agency, or department employing the officer and to perform other police, security, and administrative functions as may be deemed necessary.

C.R.S. § 24-7-102 Supervision and control

24-7-102. Supervision and control. The security officers employed pursuant to this article shall be under the control and supervision of the governing authority or head of the employing state institution. The governing authorities or heads of the state institutions, agencies, and departments shall provide appropriate credentials for the officers. The employing institution, department, or agency may permit its security officers that have been designated as peace officers pursuant to section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S., to hold and receive such other law enforcement commissions or appointments as are appropriate to carry out their duties.

C.R.S. § 24-7-103 Powers conferred

24-7-103. Powers conferred. (1) Security officers employed and commissioned pursuant to this article that have been designated as peace officers pursuant to section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S., when operating on state owned or leased property, are hereby granted all the powers conferred by law upon peace officers to carry weapons and to make arrests. (2) When not on state owned or leased property, security officers employed and commissioned pursuant to this article shall not have any authority not possessed by private citizens to arrest, investigate, or carry weapons. This subsection (2) shall not apply to peace officers as described in section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S.

C.R.S. § 24-7-104 State property not exempt from local law enforcement

24-7-104. State property not exempt from local law enforcement. Nothing in this article shall be construed to exempt state property from the authority of law enforcement agencies within whose jurisdiction the state property is located; except that representatives of the law enforcement agencies shall coordinate their official actions on state property with the appropriate security officers or police officers, except when emergency circumstances preclude such coordination.

C.R.S. § 24-7-105 Officers' qualifications

24-7-105. Officers' qualifications. Security officers shall be at least twenty-one years of age and shall possess such other qualifications as may be specified by the state personnel director, including continuing training as may be prescribed by the said director.

C.R.S. § 24-7-106 Peace officers standards and training board evaluation and recommendation - legislative authorization of peace officer status required

24-7-106. Peace officers standards and training board evaluation and recommendation - legislative authorization of peace officer status required. Notwithstanding other provisions of this article, a person or group of persons employed as security officers or guards by any institution, agency, or department of state government, including any institution of higher education, shall not be designated as peace officers, after June 3, 2004, without completing the peace officer standards and training board processes described in sections 16-2.5-201 and 16-2.5-202, C.R.S., and obtaining the legislative authorization described in section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-24.docxFetched: 10/6/2026