Date: 01/25/2010
Final
Briefing by the Department of Public Safety
COMMITTEE ON JOINT JUDICIARY
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02:31 PM -- Briefing by the Department of Public Safety
Mr. Peter Weir, Executive Director, Department of Public Safety (DPS), introduced himself and distributed copies of the department's presentation (Attachment B). He indicated that he would invite division directors to the table to provide an overview of their divisions. Director Weir outlined the responsibilities of the DPS and described the School Safety Resource Center, which was created by the enactment of Senate Bill 08-001. He distributed a packet of information on the Colorado School Safety Resource Center, including the statutorily required report and a number of informational handouts (Attachment C). Director Weir noted that the DPS has faced the same budgetary challenges as all government agencies, but has managed to maintain its level of services due to the efforts of DPS employees and division managers.
02:37 PM
Director Weir asked Mr. Erick Scheminske, Chief Financial Officer, DPS, to come to the table. Mr. Scheminske introduced himself and walked the committee through the financial information in the department's presentation. He pointed out and corrected a typographical error on the first page of the presentation. He spoke about the monetary savings and increase in effectiveness of community corrections programs. He listed a series of budget cuts that were implemented on various programs and described the department's concerns regarding the consequences of the budget cuts on specific programs.
02:44 PM
Colonel James Wolfinbarger, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), provided an overview of the CSP and its core principals and objectives. He explained that the primary cornerstone of the CSP is traffic safety, and he cited statistics indicating that traffic deaths in the state have declined significantly since 2001. Colonel Wolfinbarger explained that changes in Colorado's laws, together with the CSP's strategic plan to ensure statewide consistency, high visibility, and strict enforcement, have contributed to the decline. He explained that the CSP has focused on statistics, target measures, and accountability to focus its limited resources on areas in which serious accidents are most likely to occur.
02:53 PM
Colonel Wolfinbarger briefly summarized a number of decision items pertaining to the CSP.
02:59 PM
Major Brenda Leffler, Director, Office of Preparedness and Security, CSP, came to the table to discuss the DPS's efforts related to intelligence and critical assessment. She spoke about the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC). She described her office's model relationship with the FBI. Major Leffler provided information on the Terrorism Liaison Officer program and on a video titled "8 Signs of Terrorism," which the CSP helped produce. Director Weir made additional comments.
03:05 PM
Major Leffler discussed the Immigration Enforcement Unit and provided statistics regarding smuggling and human trafficking cases processed thus far. In response to a question from Representative King concerning ways prevent more traffic fatalities, Colonel Wolfinbarger spoke about the benefits of laws promoting the use of seat belts and increasing the penalties for diving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Senator Lundberg and Colonel Wolfinbarger discussed the CSP's dispatch system. In response to questions from Senator Newell, Colonel Wolfinbarger described CSP's relationship and coordination with the Colorado Department of Transportation. Major Leffler and Senator Newell spoke about the possibility of showing the "8 Signs of Terrorism" video at town hall meetings.
03:13 PM
In response to questions from Representative Waller, Colonel Wolfinbarger provided additional information on the decision item related to body armor and mentioned the importance of developing a dedicated funding stream for body armor. Senator King and Colonel Wolfinbarger spoke about trends in arrests for driving under the influence. In his closing remarks, Colonel Wolfinbarger commented on the lack of progressive pay within the CSP and the challenges the current situation poses to retention efforts. He noted that experience is irreplaceable.
03:17 PM
Ms. Jeanne Smith, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice, introduced herself to the committee and provided an overview of the responsibilities of the Division of Criminal Justice. She spoke about funding for community corrections and remarked that the use of community corrections facilities instead of Department of Corrections facilities saves the state money. Ms. Smith described the Colorado Regional Community Policing Institute and the use of crisis intervention teams to assist officers in their interactions with mentally ill offenders. She summarized the role of various offices within the division. She responded to a question from Senator Hudak about community corrections program statistics.
03:26 PM
Ms. Jan Girten, Director of Laboratory Services, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), introduced herself and described the role of the CBI. She said that CBI lab backlogs have dropped by 42 percent due to grant funding, but noted that such funding will not exist in future fiscal years. Ms. Girten summarized the future goals of the CBI, which include dedicating a grant administrator to apply for future grants. She spoke about the relationship between CBI, local agencies, and district attorneys. Ms. Girten discussed CBI's efforts to prepare for the implementation of Senate Bill 09-241, which requires that, after September 30, 2010, every individual arrested or charged for a felony to provide a DNA sample to the local law enforcement agency as part of the booking process. In her concluding remarks, Ms. Girten echoed Colonel Wolfinbarger's comments regarding salary and the fear that senior staff members would be lost.
03:33 PM
In response to a question from Representative Levy concerning CBI support provided to local agencies, Ms. Girten explained that CBI is statutorily required to provide such services. She described CBI's efforts to manage its workload and answered follow-up questions concerning ways to prevent the submission of redundant evidence.
03:37 PM
Senator Hudak asked whether an increase in applications for concealed carry permits requires additional state funding. To answer her question, Director Weir asked Ms. Jan Simkins, Agent in Charge for the CBI Program Support Unit, to come to the table. Ms. Simkins discussed the increase in applications for concealed carry permits but noted that the background checks are funded by cash funds, rather than by the General Fund. In response to further questions from Senator Hudak, Ms. Simkins listed various reasons why an application for a concealed carry permit might be denied. Discussion continued.
03:41 PM
Mr. Kevin Klein, Director of the Division of Fire Safety, introduced himself and discussed his office. He spoke about a new permitting process and a decision item concerning leased vehicles. He discussed the division's role in the certification of firefighters and hazardous materials responders. He also noted that the division provides technical assistance to help local governments interpret and enforce fire codes.
03:47 PM
Director Weir spoke about the creation of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center (CSSRC) and introduced Dr. Linda Kanan, Director of the CSSRC. Director Weir discussed the rationale for selecting someone with an educational background to be the director. Dr. Kanan introduced herself and discussed the CSSRC report, which had previously been distributed to the committee. She spoke about the CSSRC's focus on K-12 schools and on rural or small districts. She spoke about the effects of budget cuts and provided information about the CSSRC's outreach services.
03:57 PM
Continuing her presentation, Dr. Kanan discussed feedback received by the CSSRC and visits to its website. She talked about the use of pilot site schools and explained that much of the work of the CSSRC focuses on prevention. In her concluding remarks, Dr. Kanan briefly outlined the future goals of the CSSRC.
04:02 PM
Senator Renfroe asked if the CSSRC has looked into the possibility of allowing qualified teachers to carry concealed weapons inside of schools. He noted that law enforcement agents cannot be present for every crime that occurs in a school, and he suggested that individuals need to be prepared to deal with threats themselves. Dr. Kanan replied that she had not done any research on the topic; she noted that significant research had focused on the "people component" of school safety, meaning the importance of early detection, intervention, shared communication, and the recognition of warning signs. Dr. Kanan said that the CSSRC has directed its efforts towards the education of children and staff concerning the importance of sharing information and taking responsibility in a situation.