This bill expands the definition of “peace officer” under Colorado law to include designated employees in the Department of Revenue’s Firearms Dealer Division and Auto Industry Division. It clarifies their law enforcement authority and requires or allows POST certification, which is the standard credential for peace officers in Colorado.
Expansion of Peace Officer Definition (Section 1) The bill amends existing law (§ 16-2.5-102, C.R.S.) to add the following roles as peace officers eligible (or required) for POST certification:
Firearms Dealer Division employees (as defined in new Section 16-2.5-121.5)
Auto Industry Division employees (as updated in Section 16-2.5-122)
These positions now have legal peace officer status, meaning they can carry out arrests and enforcement duties related to state law and must (or may) be certified by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board.
Firearms Dealer Division (Section 2 – New § 16-2.5-121.5) Designates several roles within this division as peace officers while on duty:
Director or Deputy Director:
May be POST certified
Their authority includes enforcing firearms dealer laws (Title 18, Article 12, Part 4) and all other state laws
Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigator Supervisor, Criminal Investigator:
Must be POST certified
Same enforcement powers as above
Auto Industry Division (Section 3 – Amended § 16-2.5-122)
Expands peace officer designation to include:
Deputy Director, Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigator Supervisor, and Criminal Investigator
Their primary authority is enforcement of auto dealer laws (§ 44-20-105),
But they may also enforce any Colorado state law
All must be POST certified
Key Impacts
Area
Change Introduced
Peace Officer Status
Extended to Firearms and Auto Industry Division investigators
POST Certification
Required for most roles; allowed for directors/deputies
Law Enforcement Powers
Includes both targeted enforcement and general powers
Departments Affected
Colorado Department of Revenue
Summary
HB25-1314 formally designates certain investigative personnel in the Department of Revenue’s Firearms Dealer and Auto Industry Divisions as peace officers with full law enforcement powers, subject to POST certification. This enhances their authority to investigate, arrest, and enforce both specific regulatory laws and broader state statutes, aligning them with professional law enforcement standards.
Summary
Current law grants peace officer status to an auto industry
investigator and the director of the auto industry division within the department of revenue (department). Current law limits the scope of peace officer authority for these 2 positions to certain investigative and enforcement functions. The bill expands the peace officer authority for the auto industry investigator and auto industry division director positions to include enforcement of all the laws of the state and requires the investigators and director to be peace officers standards and training board (P.O.S.T. board) certified. The bill extends peace officer status, along with the expanded authority and P.O.S.T. board certification requirement, to agents in charge, criminal investigator supervisors, and criminal investigators within the auto industry division.
House Bill 24-1353 created a new firearms dealer division
(division) within the department. The bill designates the division director and deputy directors as peace officers who may be P.O.S.T.-board-certified. The bill makes agents in charge, criminal investigator supervisors, and criminal investigators in the division peace officers who must be P.O.S.T.-board-certified.
