Explore opportunities to be part of specialized teams after a two-year probationary period.
The Community Action Team (CAT) implements innovative community crime prevention, community resource referrals and takes enforcement action. The team is responsible for working with the homeless, those with mental illness conditions and verifying sex offender compliance. CAT develops proactive crime prevention strategies based on crime data, type, geographic area and community concerns through programs which include:
They participate in community presentations, including the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, Hotel/Motel Interdiction and handle general quality-of-life service requests.
The Lakewood Police Traffic Team is dedicated to motorist and pedestrian safety. This is done through statistic-driven enforcement, special events, and tips and requests from our community. While all patrol agents are responsible for traffic safety in Lakewood, the Traffic Team is focused on this single goal. Traffic detectives are responsible for investigating hit and run traffic collisions while the Lakewood Police Traffic Team is involved in numerous enforcement and special city events such as marathons and enforcement campaigns.
The Special Enforcement Team (SET) is responsible for tracking and suppression activities along with proactive police contacts with gang members. The team provides directed enforcement intended to impact the most pressing criminal activity, locations, offenders, patterns, graffiti and trends of gang activity. SET will respond, handle and investigate a variety of gang-related crimes, career criminals, warrant arrests and graffiti.
The K-9 Unit responds to incidents involving tracking and locating individuals eluding capture and provides officer protection. It also is used for detection of narcotics. The K-9 unit is called upon in many types of situations, some due to the danger agents would be exposed to and others because of K-9’s unique and often superior senses. Before ever being used in the field, the team of handlers and K-9s undergo extensive training. Training continues on a regular basis for as long as they are a part of the K-9 unit.
The Lakewood Police Department Mills Substation is a limited-service police station housing seven agents, two detectives and a sergeant. The agents in the station proudly serve northwest Lakewood. The substation facilitates a closer relationship between the department and the community using a community-oriented policing philosophy called Sector-Based Policing. The Colorado Mills Mall Team was developed to handle the traffic, criminal and non-criminal issues specific to the mall and surrounding areas.
The Lakewood and Wheat Ridge police departments merged SWAT Teams to form the West Metro SWAT Team. The SWAT team serves both cities and consists of a Tactical Unit, a Negotiations Unit and tactical dispatchers. Members are specially trained and equipped to respond to handle incidents requiring resources beyond the scope of normal police operations. Such incidents include armed, barricaded suspects; hostage situations; sniper situations; high-risk warrant service and other high-risk incidents.
The Investigation Division is primarily responsible for conducting follow-up criminal investigations; collecting, preserving and analyzing physical evidence; arresting suspects; filing criminal cases; and assisting with the prosecution of those cases. Detectives can specialize in
This task force is a metrowide effort composed of personnel from multiple agencies from the metropolitan area’s police departments, sheriff’s offices, the Attorney General’s Office, the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Information Analysis Center. The Colorado Legislature granted funding to create the task force to deter incidents of motor vehicle theft, apprehend and prosecute those who are involved in motor vehicle theft and reduce the costs associated with motor vehicle theft. The team is funded through a grant from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA). The Lakewood Police Department participates in C-MATT by providing overall command, as well as supervisory, investigative and crime analysis personnel.
School resource officers (SROs) are assigned to the middle and high schools and are a resource to staff and students. In addition to their regular police duties, resource officers give presentations, investigate crimes on and off campus and provide avenues of support. School resource officers build positive relationships with students that benefit the schools and our community. SROs also have rewarding opportunities to influence and help students reach their potential.
The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is composed of agents trained in the 40-hour course provided by the Jefferson County Regional CIT Program to include knowledge of mental health symptoms, special populations, local resources and verbal de-escalation techniques. Agents then apply the knowledge learned in difficult scenarios based on previous calls role-played by professional actors. Successful completion of the course allows the agent to be identified by a CIT pin on their uniform and then qualify for advanced concepts on an annual basis. The purpose of the Crisis Intervention Team is to de-escalate individuals experiencing any variety of personal crises, as well as to recognize and assist individuals experiencing mental health issues through proven verbal communication management techniques.
The Victim Assistance Unit works within our Investigation Division. The unit offers comprehensive support services to innocent persons who have suffered physical, emotional or financial loss resulting from a criminal incident. Staff and volunteers respond to victims and survivors of violent crime or sudden death, while other cases are followed up with a phone call, letter or a personal visit. Members of the unit also help victims apply for Crime Victim Compensation and provide referrals for any long-term support they might need.
The Victim Assistance Unit is staffed with volunteer advocates and full-time advocates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To contact the Victim Assistance Unit directly during business hours, please call 303-987-7191 or email Victim Assistance.
Jeffcom 911 is the dispatch communications center, serving as a vital link between emergency services and the community in Jefferson County, including Lakewood. Jeffcom works with local fire, police and emergency medical service providers to dispatch the appropriate emergency responders, as well as to provide support for public safety education.
Interested in joining our team? The ideal candidate has customer service and multi-tasking skills. They should be flexible and willing to be scheduled for shift work. Familiarity with law, fire and medical topics as well as general public safety experience is preferred. All applicants must have a high school diploma or GED certificate. Jeffcom 911 provides qualified candidates with comprehensive training for emergency communications specialists. Please visit Jeffcom's Application Page for more information!
Community Service Officers (CSOs) are non-sworn, do not require a four-year degree and can start as young as 18 years old. This role supports various operations within the Lakewood Police Department while working within our Patrol Division. CSOs perform a range of administrative, technical and/or clerical support functions, including crime scene investigation, traffic crash investigations and parking enforcement and much more. CSOs develop a rapport with citizens, demonstrate problem-solving ability, and display a positive relationship with citizens, as well as other employees throughout the department and the city. This role can be a great building block toward other opportunities in the law enforcement field, or a stand-alone career.
An Animal Control Officer (ACO) for the Lakewood Police Department will investigate violations, apprehend animals, interact frequently with citizens and provide information and assistance on a variety of animal-related issues. The ACO’s duties include writing investigative reports, mediation of complaints, education of citizens, issuing summonses, case preparation and testimony in court. Potential candidates should be able to maintain professionalism while dealing with the public in adverse and volatile situations and be adept at mediating disputes.
Experience in law enforcement, animal handling and a bachelor’s degree are highly desirable. Applicants will need to be comfortable working nights, weekends and holidays as well as being on-call.
The Lakewood Police Department offers a number of other opportunities including