Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety

Who We Are

Colorado Governor-elect Phil Weiser is committed to an administration that represents all of Colorado, and serves and protects every Coloradan. Governor-elect Weiser and his team will lead State government to ensure that we serve the people of Colorado, working to make their lives better, and together, we meet opportunities and challenges with creativity, collaboration, and compassion. His commitment to serve as the People’s Governor means that he and his team will have a sustained focus on how to make Colorado safer, more affordable, more sustainable, and a great place to live, build a business, and raise a family.

We Have Strong Core Values

Our core values drive our actions. We are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, acting with integrity, and operating transparently; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about improving the lives of the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to solve problems creatively and operate with a continuous improvement mindset; and 4) "better together," by working to support each other as a team and collaborate effectively.

Department Information

The Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) is dedicated to a safer Colorado. Its mission is to engage employees working together to safeguard the public and deliver diverse public safety services. The department’s vision is to create safer and more resilient communities across Colorado.

Five operational divisions carry out the work of the department: the Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Division of Criminal Justice, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. The Executive Director’s Office supports all divisions. CDPS partners with local law enforcement, emergency management, fire, and criminal justice agencies. Together, they keep roads safe, prepare for and recover from disasters such as floods and wildfires, combat crime, promote school safety, and support crime victims.

Department: Office of the Governor; Colorado Department of Public Safety

Position Title: Executive Director

Summary of Functions: The Executive Director is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Department of Public Safety and part of the Governor’s Cabinet. The Executive Director oversees the administration, programs, and strategic plan of the department and is accountable for the consistent achievement of its mission and objectives. The role safeguards the lives and property of Coloradans statewide by overseeing state policing, criminal investigation, criminal justice policy, fire prevention and control, and emergency management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee and manage the department’s operations and direct the implementation of its services, policies, and programs in alignment with department goals, the Governor’s initiatives, and the expectations of stakeholders

• Direct and oversee the department’s budget with fiscal management that operates within the approved budget, ensures maximum resource utilization, and maintains a positive financial position

• Build and cultivate a high-performing team through effective leadership focused on recruiting and retaining top talent and providing guidance, coaching, and development to direct reports

• Direct the statutory divisions under the department

• Lead all-hazards response through the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

• Supervise the Office of School Safety, which oversees the School Safety Resource Center and administers the School Access for Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program and youth violence prevention grants

• Appoint management and staff to liaise with local partners 

• Represent the department before the General Assembly and federal partners

• Collaborate with county sheriffs and municipal police, elected district attorneys, county emergency management agencies, fire protection districts, school districts, the Colorado State Forest Service, and Tribal governments

• Seek cooperation with all law enforcement agencies and serve as a liaison between the Governor and local governments and first responders on emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery

• Brief the Governor’s Office on all relevant policy issues arising from state and federal legislative activities

• Build a good relationship with the legislature and serve as the point person for directing the department’s response to proposed legislation that may affect its operations

Organizational Relationships: POST Board, seated in the Attorney General’s Office; Department of Corrections; Department of Transportation; Department of Public Health & Environment’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention; Safe2Tell; FEMA and Homeland Security; Behavioral Health Administration on co-responders and first responder mental health programs; Chief Resilience Officer; local law enforcement; sheriffs; Colorado District Attorneys’ Council

Preferred Education/Experience:

• A bachelor’s or advanced degree in public administration, criminal justice, public policy, law, emergency management, or a related field

• Five or more years of leadership experience in public safety operations in policing, criminal investigation, criminal justice, emergency management, or fire prevention and control

• Five or more years of professional executive management experience, including establishing goals and objectives and developing and managing a budget to achieve program goals and objectives

• Five or more years of experience fostering effective and efficient process improvements for an organization of twenty-five or more employees

• Experience building relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders with varying perspectives and interests

• A track record of building and leading high-performing teams across multiple operational divisions

• Professional knowledge of law enforcement, public safety, fire prevention and control, or emergency management and familiarity with federal and state government operations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated credibility with sheriffs, police chiefs, legislators, and criminal justice reform advocates concurrently

• Demonstrated decision-making in crisis conditions under compressed timelines and sustained public scrutiny

Conditions of employment: Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment and reside in Colorado once employed

HOW TO APPLY: 

Please submit an online application for this position at buildingcoloradosfuturetogether.org. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received before the closing date.

A resume must be submitted with the application for consideration. Your resume must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.

Benefits 

The State of Colorado offers a competitive benefits package to permanent employees:

• PERA retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan, PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus 401K and 457 plans

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage

• Automatic Short-Term and Optional Long-Term Disability Coverage

•  Life and AD&D Insurance

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) job protection and State of Colorado Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)

• 11 Paid Holidays Annually and Accrued Annual and Sick Leave

• Variety of discounts on services and products available through the State of Colorado's Work-Life Employment Discount Program

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.

ADAAA Requests

The State of Colorado is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our office will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator at [email protected].

We believe that diverse teams produce better results and encourage people of a variety of backgrounds and qualifications to apply.