ONE BY ONE POLICING
Message From The Chief
POLICE DEPARTMENT
100 N. Perry Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104 (303) 663-6100 Office | (303) 663-6105 Fax
I am honored to present you with the department’s 2022 Annual Report. Our number one priority continues to be the safety and security of our residents, business community and visitors. Castle Rock Police officers, dispatchers, professional staff and volunteers work every day to serve people one-by-one. We call this One-By-One Policing, and it takes community policing to a higher and more personal level. This is truly about serving people one-by-one so together, we can create safe and secure environments where people can thrive, which is also the definition of our vision statement.
We strive to go beyond providing a safe community by focusing on community engagement, earning trust, building relationships and creating an environment where our community views us not only as their protectors but as trusted friends and fellow community members. In 2022, our dedicated and highly trained staff of 87 sworn officers, 32 professional staff members and numerous volunteers worked tirelessly every day to be just that.
Castle Rock continues to be one of the safest and fastest-growing communities in the country. The Town received a No. 12 rating in the 2022 list of safest cities in Colorado (p. 12). In fact, in 2022 we experienced a significant decrease in overall crime. We attribute our ability to provide a safe and secure community to people, innovation and community.
• People – our police officers, dispatchers and professional staff
• Innovation – state-of-the-art technology such as license plate readers with a focus on an innovative mindset
• Community – earning community trust, relationship building, and community engagement
All the above are tied together by our unique organizational culture and our One-By-One Policing philosophy. Below are many of our community-based programs focusing on providing a safe community and building trust.
• Citizens Police Academy
• Coffee with a Cop
• Crime Free Multi-Housing
• Dirt Jumps and Donuts
• Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment
• Drug Take Back Events
• Heroes and Helpers
• National Night Out
• Police Explorers
• Police Trading Cards
• Rock Watch
• R-U-OK Elderly Check-ins
• Special Olympics Colorado
• Splash Mob
• Touch-A-Truck
• Youth Police Academy
Our annual report highlights the work of the men and women of the department as well as provides information on crime statistics, performance measurements and division highlights. Please connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor for the latest Castle Rock Police news.
Thank you for supporting the dedicated men and women of our department. We appreciate everything you do to help make Castle Rock a safe and thriving community. I am extremely proud of our employees and honored to serve along with them.
Sincerely,
Jack Cauley, Chief of PoliceOrganizational Structure
Supervisory Staff (Sworn)
Supervisory Staff (Civilian)
Staffing (FTE) and Retirements
Fulltime Equivalent (FTE) Positions
Castle Rock Police Department Retirements Sergeant Marc Ruisi, Sergeant Tim Ratcliff, Officer Brian Finley, Officer Scott Webster, Officer Lee Gizzi, and Officer Adam Elliott retired with 112 years of combined experience. We wished them a fond farewell throughout the year and thanked them for their multiple years of honorable service to the Castle Rock community and the policing profession.
Awards and Recognition
Annual Awards Ceremony
May 18, 2022
Castle Rock staff members and one citizen were honored to receive the following awards and recognition at this year’s ceremony.
CITIZEN COMMENDATION (1)
David
A. GarnerMERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD (6)
Sergeant K. Collins, Corporals A. Lane and N. Stamos, Detectives D. DeGennaro and M. Williams, Officer P. McNairy
Corporal A. Lane, Officers J. Dinges and G. Grega
Officers S. deLumeau and S. Gillespie, Detectives J. Mullineaux, D. Polite and M. Williams
Corporal N. Stamos, Officers P. McNairy and M. Rabon, Detective D. Polite, Property/Evidence Technician L. DeMoulin
Sergeant K. Torrens, Corporal A. Lane, Officers D. Moorhead, S. Morrissey and former Officer A. Schlecht
Commander M. Galvan, Corporal N. Stamos, Officers J. Dinges, G. Grega, P. McNairy and R. Schuster,
Detective D. Polite
POLICE MERIT AWARD (3)
Detective S. deLumeau
Detective D. DeGennaro
Corporal D. Moffitt
POLICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (1)
Detective M. Williams
LIFE SAVING AWARD (4)
Dispatcher K. DeClaire
Sergeant K. Collins, Officer N. Brungardt
Officers J. Proano and A. Elliott
Corporal T. Grandy, Officers M. Fuino and former Officer B. Finley
SUPERIOR TACTICS AND RESPONSE (S.T.A.R.) AWARD (3)
Officers J. Gondeck, A. LaPorte, M. Rabon, B. Schuster and T. Thompson
Sergeant R. Speaect, Officers J. Dinges, M. Fuino, G. Grega, D. Ives, K. Lewis, T. O’Donnell, J. Proano and C. Stoneking
Officers M. Fellows, J. Proano and A. Toliver
ANNUAL ONE-BY-ONE POLICING AWARD (1)
Officer G. Stark
Swearing-in Ceremonies
January 3, 2022
May 18, 2022
Year in Review
JANUARY Swearing-In Ceremony
CRPD kicked off the New Year with a swearing-in of seven officers during our Jan. 3 ceremony. This included six lateral transfers and one cadet who would go through the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Academy. Castle Rock would go on to hire nine additional officers and four cadets in 2022. Additional photos on p. 9.
FEBRUARY
CRPD partners with CueHit
The Department partnered with CueHit to receive real-time feedback following specific calls for service. CueHit utilizes text messages that ask citizens to take a brief survey about their recent experience with the department. This tool allows CRPD to see areas of improvement but also areas where we’re making a positive difference in our community.
MARCH Department Signage
For those biking and walking around our Town’s trails, a familiar placard is back! Our old Castle Rock Police Department sign, which is original to the building, was re-purposed. The sign now lives on the new flood wall recently built on the south side of the Police Department.
JULY
Youth Police Academy
One year following the success of the Youth Police Academy, CRPD introduced a Leadership Track for returning students. This opportunity allows individuals a chance to continue their education, while assisting new students in the development of leadership skills. More information found by visiting CRgov.com/YouthAcademy.
AUGUST
National Night Out
CRPD hosted the community at Philip S. Miller Park for National Night Out. This evening is marked by numerous giveaways, demonstrations, dinner – plus the opportunity to connect with our officers and professional staff and learn about the inner workings of CRPD. National Night Out is held the first Tuesday in August every year.
SEPTEMBER
Rocket introduced to community CRPD expanded its School Resource Officer and therapy dog program. SRO Luke Godfrey and Rocket, a 1-year-old Husky mix, were introduced to the community this month during a media day. This duo currently serves Mesa Middle School students and staff.
Read more on p. 13.
APRIL Fitness Yard Addition
Following the completion of the parking lot expansion project, an outdoor fitness yard was installed for staff members. Using recycled turf from one of the Town’s athletic fields in its design, this facility is an extension of the department’s robust wellness program promoting physical and mental health.
MAY
National Police Week
National Police Week (recognized annually in May) bestows honor, remembrance, and peer support, which allows officers, survivors and citizens to gather and pay respect to those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Our department had members in Washington, D.C. to honor the sacrifices made by those in the policing profession.
JUNE IPMBA Class
CRPD hosted an International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) course, welcoming officers from Castle Rock, Fort Morgan, Glendale, Jefferson County, Littleton, Monument, Pueblo and Windsor to our beautiful Town. Additionally, CRPD Officer Coyle was one of the IPMBA Police Cyclist Instructors.
OCTOBER
Halloween with Buttercup
Boo! CRPD therapy dog Buttercup got into the Halloween spirit, dressing as what else – a police officer! She also offered Town residents several tips for keeping pets safe during Halloween. These included costume safety, dangers of candy and keeping pets calm during trick-or-treating.
NOVEMBER
Starlighting
This month welcomed another magical Starlighting in Town. Castle Rock’s police officers and volunteers were on hand to keep residents safe during this annual tradition that includes the lighting of the star, ice skating, caroling, vendors and more!
DECEMBER Heroes and Helpers
Because of the community’s generosity, CRPD was able to bless more than 60 kids and their families with gifts, groceries and warm clothes for the holiday season during a shopping excursion at Walmart. Additionally, our Community Partnership Unit shopped for, wrapped, and delivered gifts to other kids unable to attend the event.
CRPD In The News
Safest Cities in 2022
The Castle Rock Police Department is honored again to be recognized as one of Colorado’s safest cities. Safewise released its list of Colorado’s Safest Cities 2022, and Castle Rock ranked number 12. Castle Rock was ranked the highest for any city serving more than 30,000 residents. We are very proud of this achievement. This is due in part to the CRPD staff members (both sworn and professional staff), our innovation, and great partnerships with residents and other Town employees that we have been able to thrive as a community.
Castle
Rock’s Dirt Jumps and Donuts provides fun for the next generation
For five years, daredevils and cops meet in Rhyolite Park to race down dirt trails, test their mettle on jumps and connect over free doughnuts. Castle Rock police host Dirt Jumps and Donuts, an event for area kids, periodically from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays. The event was created by Castle Rock Police Department’s Community Partnership Unit in 2017 to build relationships with the next generation while actively participating in fun activities. The School Resource Unit officers began to join the group regularly in 2021.
“Our Community Partnership officers are bike certified through the International Police Mountain Bike Association,” said Seth Morrissey, a Castle Rock police officer.
“Dirt Jumps and Donuts gives us the chance to have fun with Castle Rock’s youth and bond over our passion for biking – and donuts. We also have an opportunity to teach some of them how to safely ride on trails.”
The July 26 Dirt Jumps and Donuts drew an estimated 75 kids. At one point, the event was planned every second and fourth Thursday of the month, weather permitting. However, the schedule was disrupted and now events are announced a couple of days in advance on the Castle Rock social media pages. The Donut House on Wilcox Street provides the doughnuts. Participants must bring their own bikes, helmets and water.
Willard, H. (2022, July 29) Castle Rock’s Dirt Jumps and Donuts provides fun for the next generation Newsbreak. Https://www.newsbreak. com/news/2685661167983-castle-rocks-dirt-jumps-and-donuts-provides-fun-for-the-next-generation?noAds=1&_f=app_share&s=i2
Castle Rock Police Chief presents at international police chief conference
Castle Rock Police Chief Jack Cauley presented information about the “one by one policing” method he implemented in the department at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference held in Dallas. The IACP conference was held Oct. 15-18 and attracted thousands of law enforcement professionals to network, attend educational workshops and presentations, and explore career-related products. Cauley partnered with Chief Chris Hsiung of Mountain View Police Department, California, to share their presentation, “Changing Culture in a Police Organization: A New Path for Modern Policing.”
“I was incredibly humbled to see so many people at our presentation,” Cauley said. “We have a real opportunity to evolve the policing profession, but understand the evolution must come from the inside-out. It was an honor to share our One-By-One Policing philosophy with chiefs and sheriffs from around the world.”
This presentation was submitted by Cauley and Hsiung, although the California chief could not attend. The pair met through a mutual friend — another police chief — and found they had a lot in common, especially regarding culture and values.
The pair’s presentation focused on police culture, advocating for a healthy and adaptive culture by examining two nationally recognized policing cultures and the factors, values and leadership approaches that help departments grow and flourish despite policing’s constantly changing and difficult environment. The presentation was also drawn from Simon Sinek’s latest book, The Infinite Game. The chiefs planned to share what it looks like to build progressive cultures in their departments. In fall 2021, Cauley was appointed to the IACP’s Board of Directors to represent agencies of 100-249 sworn officers through 2024.
Willard, H. (2022, October 20). Castle Rock police chief presents at international police chief conference | Heather Willard. NewsBreak Original. Https://original.newsbreak.com/@heather-willard-1592376/2793493977574-castle-rock-police-chief-presents-atinternational-police-chief-conference?s=ws_tw
Families in Castle Rock enjoy Touch-a-Truck, with 1 hour devoted to sound-sensitive visitors
Children in Castle Rock had a chance to have some fun with some big rigs over the weekend. The sixth annual Touch-a-Truck rolled into the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Saturday. Kids of all ages got to beep horns, blast the sirens and climb inside all the vehicles. But it wasn’t all loud. There was a silent hour for kids with sensory issues.
“This is our first time to the event. So we thought after seeing the flyer they mentioned that they do a little bit of a quiet hour,” said mother Nicole Thomas. “So Lucas here doesn’t like loud noises too much. He covers his ears. So we thought this would be a great opportunity to see all the trucks and get up close and personal without having the loud noises scare him off.” Castle Rock police spokesman Jacob Coyle said one of the goals of the event is to make people more comfortable with first responders.
“Yeah, it does definitely allow an opportunity for younger kids -- kids of all ages, really -- and adults to come out and talk with police officers, firefighters, different agencies of the government. That way they can get to know them better and get to know what they do more and not be so potentially scared of them when they encounter them out on the street.” Proceeds from food sales at the event went to help families affected by a recent deadly car crash involving a car with four students from Castle View High School inside. CBSColorado.com Staff. (2022, August 20). Families in Castle Rock enjoy Touch-a-Truck, with 1 hour devoted to sound-sensitive visitors Cbsnews.com.
Https://www.cbsnews.com/Colorado/news/touch-a-truck-castle-rock-sound-sensitive-visitors/
‘They help me calm down’: New therapy dog a big hit for Castle Rock students
Mesa Middle School In Castle Rock starts the school year with a new big dog on campus--Rocket, a one-year-old husky who is the [school] resource officer’s new police therapy dog. “What he does is really cool,” said 8th grader Jesiah Craft. “I hear them talk in the halls about how they love him and how cute he is,” said student Chloe Simpson. Rocket is there to help students in crisis and his handler Officer Luke Godfrey says he’s already made a huge impact.
“A little boy, you know said to me?” Officer Godfrey asked CBS4’s Michael Abeyta.
“[He said] ‘Can you stay with me for a little while?’ And I had Rocket with me, and he’s like, ‘I just want to be with Rocket,’” said Officer Godfrey.
“He got down on the floor, and there were tears coming out of his eyes, and I don’t know what specifically was going on with this child, but I know he was having a bad day. He petted Rocket for about five minutes, wiped the tears from his face and said thank you,” recounted Godfrey. By helping kids conquer their anxieties and frustrations, Rocket is doing an important job. Especially today, when many students are struggling with mental health. Officer Godfrey says he can get almost any student to calm down even in the toughest situation. “They are able to go and send their messages to the dog, you know, just by petting them, and it has a release of endorphins. And it just makes them feel so much better about whatever situation it is,” said Officer Godfrey.
If you don’t believe him, just ask the students how much he is helping them. They will eagerly tell you. “They help me calm down. They’re fun to play with. They’re good support animals. Definitely, they’re a good best friend when you need to have someone to cry to,” said Chloe Simpson.
Abeyta, M. (2022, September). “They help me calm down”: New therapy dog a big hit for Castle Rock students. Cbsnews.com. Https://www.cbsnews.com/Colorado/news/new-therapy-dog-castle-rock-students/
One-By-One Policing
What One-By-One Policing looks like One-By-One Policing means serving every person we encounter as if they were a member of our own family. It’s the heart of what we do here at the Castle Rock Police Department. It’s always incredible to see this policing philosophy in action. Below are words of thanks received in 2022 from our community members following their interactions and experiences with our officers and professional staff. Read more about our One-By-One Policing philosophy on our website.
Performance Measurements
Castle Rock Police Department utilizes a three-year average as a target for benchmarking purposes. While no single measurement or statistic captures or defines crime trends, the industry standard for reporting person and property crimes is to use the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) NIBRS collects data on each single incident and arrests.
The Department’s strategic measures are analyzed and reported within the annual reports. To view current and past reports, please visit: CRgov.com/PDAnnualReport.
Group A includes 46 specific crimes and 24 offense categories. For each of the offenses, there are specified types of facts about each crime reported.
In addition to Group A offenses, there are also 11 offense categories in Group B for which only arrest data is reported.
Person Crimes include: murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Property Crimes include: arson, burglary, larceny/theft (including from motor vehicles) and motor vehicle theft.
Society Crimes include: gambling, obscene material, prostitution, drug and weapon violations.
Clearance Rates reflect the percentage of arrests on reported crimes.
2022 Crime Statistics / Three-Year Average Comparison
1 Average targets within the annual report are rounded to nearest whole number
Performance Measurements (continued)
Strategic Performance Measures
The Police Department’s Five-Year Strategic Plan outlines strategic priorities by providing guidelines, goals and measurements. The following performance measurements are reported in CRPD’s annual reports:
4.
Priority 1: Crime (continued)
Response Times – Prompt and effective delivery of police services continues to be important for the Town of Castle Rock. The Town’s geographical districts are aligned based on real-time data. Officers’ workload is balanced with proactive patrol deployments. The datadriven approach to deployments ensures officers are in the areas with the highest volume of activity. CRPD experienced a 9 percent increase in response time from 2021 to 2022 (5 min. 29 sec. to 5 min. 58 sec.).
Crime Clearance Rates – Clearance rates reflect the percentage of arrests on reported crimes. This information is used as a performance measure for year-to-year comparisons within the organization as well as comparisons within similar police agencies.
Persons Crime clearance rates stayed relatively the same between 2021 and 2022 (one percent decrease). Persons crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Property Crime clearance rates increased 28 percent between 2021 and 2022. Property crimes include arson, burglary, larceny/theft (including from motor vehicles) and motor vehicle theft.
Victims Assistance (VA) Unit – The VA unit works with crime victims during traumatic events to provide support and resources as needed, and they continually strives for 100 percent response on all critical incidents. The number of calls outs increased by 63 percent from 2021 (201 to 328). More information on the VA unit is available on p. 23.
Priority 2: Traffic Safety
Traffic Enforcement – Traffic safety continues to be one of the department’s foremost concerns for the growing community. We work to identify the resources necessary to reduce both the number and severity of traffic crashes and increase public satisfaction with traffic conditions. Between 2021 and 2022,
• Traffic tickets issued decreased by 54 tickets (4 percent) from 1,469 to 1,415
• Traffic warnings decreased by 688 warnings (18 percent) from 3,769 to 3,081
• Town population increased by 6 percent from 77,955 to 82,710
Performance Measures (continued)
Priority 3: Employees
As one of the most highly regarded agencies along the Front Range, CRPD firmly believes its greatest asset is its staff members. Maintaining a well-trained and well-equipped workforce ensures the highest levels of professionalism and service are being extended to the citizens of this community. We also understand today’s police officer wants to be part of something special. We are very proud to have the ability to recruit and retain the finest officers in the profession. With this in mind, we strive to maintain a 90 percent staffing level throughout the year, which has been accomplished for the past three years. As well, the goal for the number of sworn applications received is based on our three-year average (≥ 277).
Training Unit – CRPD officers averaged a total of 114 hours of training in 2022 (one percent increase from the prior year of 113 hours). More information on CRPD’s training unit is on p. 25
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) – CRPD officers and dispatchers are trained in crisis intervention. These team members connect individuals suffering from mental health issues with the appropriate levels of mental health services. Training is conducted several times each year for both our sworn and dispatch personnel. Our goal is 100 percent trained members.
CIT-certified staff members included:
• 64 - Sergeants, Corporals, Officers (78 percent)
• 14 - Dispatchers, Supervisors (82 percent)
Townwide Award Recognition – CRPD recognizes the importance of employee accomplishments throughout the year. In 2022, there were 77 award recipients. We also encourage submissions to the Townwideemployee recognition programs. A total of 99-Townwide recognition awards were received by our staff members. Examples included the Applause, Value, Town Manager Choice, and Rock Star awards. CRPD award information is found on p. 8.
Growth-related changes from 2021 to 2022:
• Population (6 percent increase)
• Calls for service (8 percent decrease)
• Response times (9 percent increase)
• Sworn officers (9 percent increase)
Priority 4: Prepare for Future Growth
To effectively provide service to the increasing population, the department regularly monitors the Town’s growth trends and responds appropriately with staffing and resource requests as well as develops strategies and methods for providing quality services to the entire community.
Calls for Service (CFS) and Population - The Town continues to experience a steady increase in population. Population increased by 6 percent between 2021 and 2022 (77,955 to 82,710). The department’s total calls for service decreased by 8 percent (58,093 to 53,562). The calls for service data is comprised of all four districts plus calls to assist outside agencies (AOA).
Priority 1 Calls for Service – Priority one calls for service are incidents requiring an emergent response where an immediate threat or risk to life exists. During the Town’s 6 percent population increase, the priority one calls for service also increased by 5 percent (1,127 to 1,178).
911 Calls – The Town’s total 911 calls (into the Dispatch Center) increased by 2 percent (6,552 to 6,706) from 2021 to 2022. Between 2020 and 2022, there was a 13 percent increase in emergent calls for service.
Calls for Service per District – Patrol teams are staffed 24/7 with approximately eight officers per watch schedule. They are assigned to each of the four districts displayed below. These patrol officers responded to 46,456 calls for service in 2022 (86 percent of CRPD’s total calls for service*). Each district’s CFS are also indicated under the corresponding years.
*The remainder of service calls are handled by officers in other divisions.
2 4 1 3
Performance Measures (continued)
Priority 5: Community Policing and Partnerships
Volunteers in Policing (VIPS) - CRPD continues to be extremely appreciative of our volunteer programs and their continued support and service.
Administrative Volunteers – These volunteers assisted with 36 hours of clerical and other assigned duties throughout the year (87 percent decrease from 2021). The number of administrative volunteers decreased due to the hiring of one volunteers by our Municipal Court.
Community Safety Volunteers (CSV) – These department volunteers devoted 849 hours (33 percent decrease from 2021), which was due to a reduction in the number of volunteers. The unit supports patrol, traffic, municipal court, and many of our Town events.
Victim Advocates (VA) – To provide 24 hours/7 days per week service to victims of crime, a volunteer staff of victim advocates is utilized. This unit also provides night and weekend coverage to victims and their families involved in tragic events. The advocate volunteers committed 5,807 hours last year – an increase of six (6) percent from the 2021 total number of hours (5,473).
Communications and Marketing Programs – CRPD’s website analytics (page views) increased by 20 percent from the previous year and 13 percent for those accessing our site pages via a mobile app.
The top five most visited pages/mobile app usage were:
• Police Landing Page
• CodeRED
• Becoming a Police Officer
• About Police
• Police Records
Strategic Priority 6: Technology and Equipment Technology and equipment implementation tools assist officers in reducing crime, improving employee safety, promoting transparency, increasing efficiency and anticipating crime trends. Crime software and mapping tools provide staff with real-time access to crime data, which efficiently allocates and deploys resources using a data-driven, intelligence-led policing approach.
Online Reporting – The ePoliceReporting system allows citizens to report many types of crime (e.g., vandalism, theft, trespassing, lost property, phone/Internet scams). Online reporting decreased 55 percent from the previous year (798* to 356).
*Online reporting in 2021 had increased substantially (84 percent from 2020) due to the increase in unemployment fraud cases. Scammers filed for unemployment benefits using stolen personal information. Identity theft victims received a U.S. Bank ReliaCard (unemployment payment card) in the mail even though never applying for those benefits.
Department Statistics
Animal Control Unit (ACU) – With the exception of holidays, two animal control officers patrol our streets daily during the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the event an ACU officer is not available, all animal calls for service are directed to the patrol division. The ACU managed 81 percent of all animal-related calls for service (2,087 of the total 2,588). The unit experienced a seven (7) percent increase in service calls from their 2021 service calls (1,948 to 2,087). ACU information on p. 25.
K9 Unit – The unit’s patrol and narcotics deployments decreased 6 percent (60 from 64 in 2021) due to a couple of police service dog injuries and illnesses. Narcotics deployments totaled 25 with patrol deployments totaling 35. Additional K9 Unit information is found on p. 24.
Property and Evidence Unit – This unit houses thousands of pieces of property and evidence for CRPD. Between 2021 and 2022, a 28 percent increase was identified in the number of property and evidence intakes. The number of disposed property decreased significantly by 85 percent (4,853 to 751) from 2021.*
• Intakes include all items booked into the property and evidence unit. Evidence includes items tying the suspect to both the crime and the victim.
• Disposed property refers to the methods used to dispose of property or evidence and includes items returned to owners, sent to auction, or destroyed. Prior to any article being disposed, the case is researched, and a two-step review process is completed ensuring each item is disposed correctly.
*Following the 2020 Covid stay-at-home orders, disposed property levels returned to normal once the backlog of older evidence was disposed of appropriately.
Traffic Unit – The Traffic Unit strives to handle 50 percent of all traffic crashes occurring in the Town of Castle Rock’s jurisdiction. During the year, the Traffic Unit investigated 58 percent of all public roadway crashes, which reflected a 6 percent decrease from 2021.
Administration Division
Police Chief Jack Cauley oversees the Administration Division
This division includes the police chief, a senior media relations specialist, an administrative supervisor, and a senior office assistant.
The division is responsible for providing:
• Overall direction to the agency and personnel
• Ensuring quality police service to residents and business owners
• Managing the department’s budget and purchasing
• Messaging for the department (e.g., social media, news releases, media requests)
• Public Safety Commission liaison
• Disseminating department’s TRAKiT issues, received through the Town’s Report a Concern
The department’s actual expenses from the amended $20,476,608 budget was approximately two percent under budget, which reflected a 23 percent increase from the $16.6M budget in 2021 (Fig. 1). Of the budgeted amount, the department expenditures were $20,163,2481 within the five categories: personnel, services/other, supplies, capital and transfers out (Fig. 2). Additional financial reports are found under the Town’s website: CRgov.com/Transparency
1 Unaudited 2023 First Quarter Financial Review as of June 2023.
Fig. 1: Amended Police Budgets
Fig. 2: Actual Expenditures
The administrative staff diligently works to keep our Police website current and reply to citizens’ and business owners’ concerns. In 2022, a 133 percent increase in website revisions was generated due to the Town’s new website platform implementation (Fig. 3). Staff also realized a 27 percent increase in calls for assistance through the Town’s TRAKiT system (Fig. 4).
Investigations Division
Commander Tim Gorman manages the Investigations Division including 9 sworn officers, 5 professional staff, and 18 volunteers
1-sergeant, 6-detectives, 1-Financial Investigative Regional Strike Team (FIRST) detective, 1-Impact detective, 1-crime analyst, 1-senior office assistant, 1-property and evidence technician, 1-victim assistance coordinator, 1-victim advocate and 18-volunteers (12-victim assistance volunteers and 6-volunteer chaplains).
Specialized Units
• Crime Analysis Unit
• Detective Unit - includes Impact and FIRST units
• Property and Evidence Unit
• Victims Assistance Unit
• Volunteer Chaplain Program
Crime Analysis Unit
The crime analyst works alongside officers and command staff to assist in research, trends and patterns, statistical analysis, open source investigations and crime prediction. The analyst creates a weekly report to keep officers aware of emerging crime trends and develops these findings into a monthly Pattern, Analysis, and Response (PAR) report. PAR is central to the stratified policing model and assists command staff in both identifying problems and forming solutions. The analyst is integral to inter-agency communications by creating and disseminating bulletins to agencies across the Front Range and networking with other crime analysts.
Detective Unit
The Detective Unit has an authorized strength of nine sworn officers and includes one sergeant and eight detectives. The unit investigates all crimes, including misdemeanors not cleared by the Patrol Division, felonies, missing persons and unattended deaths. The detectives are assigned as follows:
• Crimes against persons (2)
• Financial crimes/organized retail crimes (1)
• Impact Team/drug offenses (1)
• Property crimes (3)
• Special victims crimes/sexual assault crimes (1)
Specialized Units
CRPD participates in two multi-jurisdictional teams consisting of detectives from Castle Rock, Lone Tree and Parker police departments as well as the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. These units (Impact and FIRST) focus on financial crimes, criminal offenses, behaviors, and street level narcotic trafficking based on repeated patterns and methods. One CRPD detective is assigned to each of the teams.
Property and Evidence Unit
Following department guidelines, in coordination with the District Attorney and state statute, the property and evidence technician works alongside the Detective Unit to log, store, secure, and release all evidence and property received. The technician also assists in officer training regarding proper
collection and the packaging of evidence. During major crime scenes, the assistance of the technician is critical in transporting and logging numerous pieces of evidence.
Victims Assistance Unit (VAU)
The Victims Assistance Unit works alongside crime victims with fairness, dignity, and respect during a traumatic time or tragic event. The unit ascertains the rights of all victims have been afforded to them through the Colorado Constitution Victims’ Rights Act, (C.R.S. 24-4.1-302). Its job is to provide victims and witnesses of criminal offenses with the support and aid necessary to mentally and physically adjust to their victimization. Other duties include providing referral information and making outreach contact. Victim advocates are the liaison between the criminal justice system and the victim. All victim assistance services are developed to competently serve victims of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds. For more information: CRgov.com/VA
Volunteer Chaplain Program
The chaplains serve as support for members of the department, their families and members of the public in times of crisis. Chaplains assist by responding to callouts or critical events, attending department functions, providing support, and counseling for staff members.
Drug Take Back Event
The two annual events collected and disposed 1,170 pounds of medication in observance of state and federal regulations. A permanent collection container is located in the department’s lobby. Expired/unused medications are accepted MondayFriday during business hours, with the exception of holidays.
Stratified Policing Model
This organizational model of problem solving, analysis and accountability is an approach to crime reduction that seeks to overcome the weakness of current policing methods, while at the same time incorporating evidence-based practices. This model distinguishes different types of problems for which crime reduction strategies are implemented and designates responsibility based on the type of problem and resources necessary to address the problem. By separating and distinguishing these types of problems, different analyses, responses, and accountability mechanisms are carried out by various personnel within the agency, which “stratifies” the workload and responsibility for problem-solving and crime reduction.
Weekly updates are provided to CRPD command staff and focus on action items and results. The chief, commanders, supervisors and the crime analyst determine the best course of action. Gaining actionable intelligence and insights from the data and then distributing it in a focused and stratified manner ensures everyone knows their responsibilities in addressing immediate, short-term, and long-term issues. The mission is to focus on intelligence-led, investigative techniques – a strategy that reduces crime through strategic management and an effective enforcement of strategies targeting prolific offenders.
Patrol Division
Commander Sam Varela manages the Patrol Division including 51 sworn officer positions
The division responds to both emergency and non-emergency calls for service. When not responding to calls, officers employ data-driven and community policing strategies to deploy to specific areas of the community. This model utilizes proactivepolicing strategies to deploy officers upon a detailed analysis of crime, calls for service, and the needs of the community.
Duties
In most cases, when calling for assistance, a patrol officer in a marked police vehicle responds. These men and women patrol the streets 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Patrol officers work a 4/10 shift schedule divided into six watches on both sides of the week. A-side works Sunday-Wednesday with an identical watch schedule working B-side, Wednesday-Saturday. Duties vary but most include traditional policing:
• Response to emergencies and in-progress crimes
• Conduct onscene investigations (e.g., fingerprinting, photography, interviewing, and interrogation)
• Documenting crime report incidents
• Arrest and book criminal offenders
• Stop traffic violators (warn or cite driver)
• Patrol their assigned areas (checking residential and business areas for illegal activity)
Additional Responsibilities
In addition to these duties, patrol officers have other responsibilities. Solving neighborhood or community problems often requires several meetings with involved parties. Officers work within a community partnership model, which means they are familiar with the following in each of their assigned areas:
• Streets, residents and businesses
• Criminal element and problem locations
• Community events
These officers utilize problem-solving techniques such as mediation, counseling, and referral to other agencies.
Community Action Team (CAT)
CAT is an active fulltime unit specifically addressing pattern crimes at the patrol level while utilizing crime analysis products and intelligence (data-driven policing). These officers continue to conduct directed operations utilizing analytics, intelligence, and the cultivation of internal and external partnerships. They work closely with regional task forces and operate in a variety of modes to include uniformed patrol in marked vehicles as well as undercover operations in unmarked vehicles. Officers assigned to this unit also assist the division with case investigations and follow up.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
The Crisis Intervention Team connects individuals suffering from mental health issues with appropriate levels of mental health services. Goals include training police officers in the recognition of mental illness, enhancing verbal crisis de-escalation skills and providing more streamlined access to community-based mental health services.
Field Training Officers (FTO)
Field Training Officers are a dedicated group of sworn members responsible for training all new recruits. In addition to teaching recruits standard policing protocols, they also exude the core values of the police department and instill in new members CRPD’s unique One-By-One Policing philosophy.
Wellness Programming
Wellness-related issues represent one the greatest challenges facing modern police professionals today. CRPD maintains a comprehensive wellness program to address the unique needs of first responders. This programming focuses on being culturally competent and provides all members access to wellness resources and dimensions (e.g., physical, mental, emotional).
K9 Unit
The K9 Unit is comprised of K9 handler Officer Fellows with his Police Service Dog (PSD) Shogun and Officer Gondeck with his partner PSD Maverick. Officer Fellows was partnered with Shogun, a Dutch Shepard, in September of 2019. Maverick, a Belgian Malinois, joined Officer Gondeck in October of 2020. Together, this unit provides deployments in patrol and narcotics for the department and outside agencies when requested. In 2022, these two units were deployed to 60 incidents compared to 64 in 2021 (a 6 percent decrease). More statistical data for this unit is on p. 21.
Honor Guard
The Honor Guard continues to train in drill and ceremony functions while answering requests for ceremonial duties within the community as well as outside the Town of Castle Rock. The Honor Guard participated in six ceremonies during the year (e.g., awards, swearing-in, promotional, memorial, funerals).
Douglas County Regional Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
CRPD participates in the multi-agency, Douglas County SWAT team. This unit consists of officers from Castle Rock, Parker, and Lone Tree police departments and deputies from Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. The team includes an operations commander, tactical commander and team leaders. In 2022, SWAT responded to 21 missions.
Special Operations Division
Commander Mark Galvan manages the Special Operations Division including 20 sworn officers, 2 professional staff, and 7 volunteers
3-sergeants, 1-training officer, 5-Community Partnership Unit officers, 5-school resource officers, 1-community response team officer, 4-traffic officers, 1-downtown liaison officer. The division is supported by 2-animal control officers, 5-community safety volunteers and 2-administrative volunteers.
The Special Operations Division specializes in the following units or teams:
• Animal Control
• Community Partnership Unit, incl. Community Response Team, Downtown Liaison Officer, Navigator Officer
• School Resource Officers
• Traffic
• Training
• Volunteers in Policing, including the Explorer Post
Animal Control Unit (ACU)
The unit is comprised of two fulltime animal control officers and is responsible for animal licensing, animals at large, dangerous animals, returning lost animals to their owners, barking dogs, investigating dog bites and animal cruelty. In 2022, animal licensing compliance decreased 20 percent (730 from 914 the prior year). Information on how to license your pet is found within CRPD’s police website: CRgov.com/AnimalLicensing.
Community Events
Special Operations works closely with other agencies and is responsible for staffing the appropriate police personnel for Town-sponsored events and many outside vendors. More event information is found on the Town’s website: CRgov.com/Events.
Community Partnership Unit (CPU)
CPU addresses community issues and works proactively in reducing crimes within the community. This unit is dedicated to solving crimes and resolving citizens’ concerns by working with and gaining support from the community. The most effective solutions include coordinating relationships between the police, citizens, local government and businesses to address the problems affecting the community. CPU officers utilize problemsolving methods such as Crime Free Multi-Housing and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) programs to address a variety of community issues (e.g., homeowners associations, downtown parking, community events, graffiti and school-related concerns). These officers work daily to engage the community in a variety of ways, including Town and HOA meetings, surveys, interest groups, and other programs (e.g., Citizens Police Academy, National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop).
Community Response Team (CRT)
CRT is a partnership with Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and numerous civilian agencies in the Metro area dealing with mental health concerns. The collaborative unit is comprised of six teams, consisting of an officer or deputy teamed up
with a mental health clinician. These teams go into the field and work with those in crisis, freeing up patrol officers to deal with emergencies and other assigned duties. A case manager supports and guides those in need to available community resources. Currently, each team works 40-hours per week dealing with people in crisis and conducting follow-up sessions.
School Resource Officers (SRO)
Under the supervisory direction of a sergeant, and in partnership with the Douglas County School District, five fulltime school resource officers dedicate their time during the school year to the Town’s elementary, alternative, middle and high schools. They provide additional school security, student mentoring, and are a valuable resource to school staff members.
Traffic Unit
Castle Rock promotes traffic safety by requiring specificallytrained officers to be dedicated to crash investigation, enforcement of state and municipal traffic laws, traffic complaints and drunk-driving recognition. Under a sergeant’s supervision, the unit consists of four officers enforcing traffic laws and improving road safety. 3D-animated crash diagramming provides more complex crash scenes allowing officers to open roadways faster with a more detailed overview of a crash scene. This unit continues to partner with Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in making local and state roadways safer through programs like Click-It or Ticket, DUI campaigns and CDOT’s Traffic Incident Management Program.
Training Unit
Providing officers with the most relevant and high-quality training and equipment is among CRPD’s top priorities. Overseeing this enormous task is the responsibility of the Training Unit. Total annual training hours increased over the past several years (7,222 in 2020 to 9,898 in 2022), which was approximately 114 training hours per officer, well above the 24 hours required by Colorado P.O.S.T. More statistical data is on p. 18. In addition to facilitating quality training, this unit is responsible for:
• Testing / evaluating uniforms
• Testing / evaluating equipment; managing weapons inventory
• Managing fleet services
Volunteers in Policing (VIPS)
Volunteers serve CRPD in several ways and are appreciated for all the hours they graciously donate each year (p. 20) or more information on volunteering: CRgov.com/Police.
Explorer Post
CRPD’s Explorer Post began in 2004 and is led by Corporal A. Lane and Officer T. Thompson. With an interest in a policing career, these 14 to 21-year-old members receive many hours of training each year. The explorers assist CRPD officers with Town events, incidents, and participate in various community service projects. This year the post averaged 14 explorers. Collectively, they donated 2,063 hours (11 percent decrease from 2021; 96 percent increase from 2020).
Support Services Division
Commander Todd Brown manages the Support Services Division including 2 sworn positions and 22 professional staff
In addition to the distinct functions within this division, there are areas of oversight provided relative to critical aspects. The division provides logistical coordination with the Town of Castle Rock Fleet Division for supplying the usable fleet of Patrol and specialty vehicles and ensuring the critical interface with the Town’s Division of Information Technology for the implementation and maintenance of essential programs and systems. Numerous innovations realized by CRPD are discovered, tested and supported by the leadership and shepherded by the Support Services Division in their effective use for the benefit of the community.
There are three distinct functions within this division:
• Communications Center
• Strategic Response Center
• Records Unit
Communications Center (Dispatch)
The Communications Center is staffed by two civilian communications supervisors and 15-fulltime dispatchers. Supervisory duties include scheduling, training and ensuring efficient operations of the communications center. The center receives all incoming 911 emergency calls for service as well as administrative calls.
Dispatchers determine and coordinate appropriate police resources and response levels on each call while performing specialized strategic dispatching for the department during emergency and non-emergency situations. The dispatch center monitors and coordinates telephone, radio and teletype communications between unit personnel, outside agencies and the public.
Strategic Response Unit (SRC)
New to the department in 2022, the goal of the Strategic Response Center is to gather, interpret and disseminate information to enhance situational awareness of events as they occur by utilizing effective crime prevention and response data from a wide array of sources including video inputs, license plate readers, crime databases and call records.
Records Unit
The Record Unit is staffed by a civilian supervisor, three fulltime records specialists, and one digital media technician. The unit is tasked with scanning documents into the Records Management System (RMS) and electronically storing and preserving all police documents for a period of 10 years plus the current year. The records specialists produce accurate and timely statistics to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which is used by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This unit is also responsible for completing Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA) records requests and background checks for individuals as well as other agencies.
The Digital Media Technician processes roughly 16 different types of media recordings for the department’s various divisions and units. This ranges from dispatch recordings, radio communication and department cameras (e.g., interview rooms, body-worn and vehicles).
Department Highlights Investigations
During 2022, an organized retail crime group was linked to 50 high-dollar thefts from Ulta, with an aggregate theft total of $211,381. These thefts occurred at Ulta locations within the following counties: Jefferson, Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, Larimer, and Denver. The number of fragrances stolen from each store ranged between 3 to 213 and values ranged from $235 to the highest of $23,242.
The five suspects were eventually charged after a lengthy investigation by our Castle Rock Police detectives. The first suspect was charged in 44 of the theft incidents, the second charged in 22 thefts, the third in 16, the fourth in 4, and the fifth in 2 of the theft incidents.
Special Operations
The efforts of our Police Department’s unhoused outreach team and abandoned camp cleanup initiatives were commendable. These dedicated team members worked tirelessly to address the challenges posed by the unhoused in our community. With a compassionate and proactive approach, the team reached out to our unhoused individuals and offered assistance and support. Their commitment established relationships, connected them with essential services and provided resources to help them reach a path toward stability. Through these efforts, they fostered a sense of trust, understanding, and respect within this community. Simultaneously, the team focused on addressing the impact of temporary or abandoned encampments and those occupied unlawfully. The team diligently cleared over 40 abandoned campsites, not only improving the overall safety and cleanliness of our neighborhoods, but also mitigating potential health and environmental hazards.
CRPD continues to lead the charge in the fight against auto thefts in Colorado. According to the CATPA Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force, in 2022 Castle Rock saw a 15% decrease in auto thefts. This followed a 25% decrease of auto thefts in 2021. For example, in October, officers recovered 13 stolen vehicles and/or license plates, including the vehicle shown below, which was located within 24 hours of it being reported stolen out of another jurisdiction.
Additionally, the Castle Rock Police Department reported an overall decrease in total crimes in 2022.
Patrol Support Services
In 2022, Castle Rock Police Department added two new positions and created our Strategic Response Center (SRC). In August, Officer A. Mendez (below left) began working in the Communication Center to provide “real time” support to officers in the field who were responding to calls for service. In December, Officer W. Schonher (below right) joined him, and they began providing support seven days per week.
During the year, these SRC officers uploaded over 1,100 videos as evidence to support cases handled by our patrol officers.
Vision & Mission
The Castle Rock Police Department is dedicated to excellence through community safety, innovation and public trust. Our goal is to provide for the safety and welfare of both the citizens and visitors of the Town of Castle Rock utilizing effective community-policing philosophies, including crime prevention, traffic enforcement, criminal investigation, crime-analysis and community involvement.
Castle Rock Police Department
100 Perry St. Castle Rock, CO 80104
To serve people one-by-one so together we can create environments that are safe and secure and where people can thrive. Follow us
Non-emergency dispatch: 303.663.6100
CRgov.com/Police
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