Chris Wallner

The Colorado Department of Public Safety's Performance Plan outlines a roadmap for building a safer, stronger, and more resilient Colorado. Its core mission is to safeguard the public and deliver diverse public safety services, guided by values of unity, honor, service, and diversity and inclusion. The plan focuses on five Wildly Important Goals for FY2027: reducing auto theft, decreasing the sexual assault kit testing backlog, increasing fire investigations, advancing transportation safety to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, and improving wildland fire response by filling aerial assistance requests. These initiatives aim to drive continuous improvement and contribute to Colorado becoming one of the top ten safest states.

This Performance Plan outlines the roadmap for the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) to build a safer, stronger, and more resilient Colorado. The plan focuses on advancing public safety, strengthening organizational excellence, and meeting community needs through five Wildly Important Goals (WIGs): reducing auto theft, decreasing sexual assault forensic kit testing time, increasing the number of fire investigations, achieving a 95% fill rate for aerial assistance requests by local fire agencies, and enhancing transportation safety by reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. The department is guided by its mission to safeguard the public and deliver diverse public safety services, with a vision of creating safer and more resilient communities across Colorado.

The Council discussed an upcoming conference and reviewed findings from a recent cost evaluation report concerning the financial sustainability of community corrections programs. Key areas of concern included the operational challenges faced by smaller and rural programs, with recommendations to adjust per diem rates and standardize financial data collection. Members advocated for a data-driven approach to highlight the long-term benefits of community corrections, such as reduced recidivism. A subcommittee was formed to draft a letter to the Joint Budget Committee based on the report findings, and plans were made to further analyze program outcomes and organize a training session regarding operational and legal guidelines.

The council discussed the fiscal year 2027 budget proposal and reviewed the findings of a cost evaluation report, which recommended per diem increases adjusted for inflation to sustain program operations. Key topics included performance metrics analysis for fiscal year 2025, the development of a formal letter to the Joint Budget Committee advocating for supplemental funding and preserved bed capacity, and long-term strategies for improving transitions from DOC facilities to community corrections.

The meeting included updates on personnel changes, noting two new District Attorney representatives and the departures of representatives from Littleton PD and Weld County Sheriff's office, with replacements expected in February. Statistical updates were provided for the Cold Case Database, totaling 1973 cases. Discussions covered ongoing work with the Cold Case Grant, including reviewing homicide cases for ViCAP entry, and efforts with the SAKI Grant through judicial meetings across the state, focusing on future FIGG eligibility. Plans were detailed for developing a one-day Cold Case Training Class for late spring/early summer and updates on the NamUs platform migration. The Missing Person Open House scheduled for November 20, 2025, was announced, alongside planning for the Colorado Missing Person Day on February 4, 2026. Updates were given on drafting a Unidentified Human Remains (UHR) Best Practices Protocol, slow progress on Lawfully Owed DNA data collection, and Forensic Services dashboards detailing turnaround times and outsourcing success for sexual assault kits. CODIS statistics for the third quarter were presented, covering samples received, profiled, and hits by crime type. Work continues on 25 Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) cases. Under New Business, the Missing Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) update showed the MIPA Alert as the most used alert since implementation in 2022. The Sunset Review Report recommended continuing the Cold Case Task Force until 2039. Presentations were given on the process of Facial Reconstruction by a Forensic Artist and the Role of Forensic Pathology in Cold Case Investigations, including retention times for various evidence types. The Open Forum segment featured a family member sharing a perspective on navigating an unsolved cold case investigation.