Mission & Core Values

A CUPD patrol car parked on campus with the Flatirons in the background

Purpose

The purpose of the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department is to support the University and its mission by providing public safety services that meet the unique needs of its constituents.

Vision

The University of Colorado Boulder Police Department (CUPD) is committed to being a leader among university police departments.

Mission

The members of theÌýUniversity of Colorado Boulder Police Department (CUPD) are dedicated to provide the highest quality services in order to enhance community safety, protect life and property, and reduce crime and the fear of crime. We pledge to develop a partnership with the greater campus community and to improve the overall safety and quality of life for all CU affiliates through fair and impartial, transparent and consistent policing.

Core Values

  • Collaboration: We value working together to create and maintain a culture of mutual trust and optimism for the future, with a goal of shared success and accomplishment.
  • Competence: We are skilled professionals, exhibiting a quiet confidence in the performance of our duties; demonstrating adaptability to all situations, accompanied by a desire for continuous improvement.
  • Humility:ÌýWe serve the University in a respectful, compassionate, and non-judgmental manner;Ìýremembering that we are members of the community we serve.
  • Integrity:ÌýWe operate in a professional, ethical, and honest manner towards our work, peers, and the University community.
  • Passionate:ÌýWe demonstrate a personal enthusiasm that drives focus, a desire to excel, and a commitment to support and protect one another.

Operating Principles for the Organization

We are dedicated to being:

  • Stakeholder-Focused: We will provideÌýservice to all of our constituents and bring matters to a timely and positive resolution, while selflessly supporting the mission of the university and the needs of the community.
  • Proactive: We will provideÌýa visible presence to deter persons contemplating criminal activity, along with educating the university community to prevent harm to those who depend on us for their safety.ÌýÌý
  • Trained and Prepared: We willÌýmanageÌýthe organization and effectively invest in our personnel so we are able to appropriately respond to and investigate varying emergency and non-emergency situations.
  • Inclusive:ÌýWe believe diversity in our department strengthens our ability to serve our community in a more inclusive way. Please see our full diversity and inclusion statement below.

Authority

CUPD officers receive their authority through the provisions of Colorado Revised Statutes (Title 24, Article 7.5) and through their city of Boulder commission. As such, CUPD officers have full police authority on all university properties and within the city of Boulder. In addition to state and municipal laws, the Board of Regents further delegates authority to CUPD officers to enforce university rules and regulations. Similar to their municipal counterparts, CUPD officers are armed and are legally empowered to issue summonses for persons to face charges in court, arrest persons and place them in jail, write affidavits for and execute arrest and search warrants, perform investigations, and file cases with the local district attorney’s office.

Officer Training

University police officers receive the same training as other full-service police officers in Colorado; they must successfully complete an authorized Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy program with a minimum of 548 hours of specialized instruction. Also, all university officers must successfully complete an on-the-job field training program under the supervision of experienced officers and supervisors. This training lasts a minimum of four months and covers security and crime concerns specific to the university community. Finally, officers must complete a probationary period of one year before being certified for their staff positions.