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Chapter
5

Part I: Qualifications & Training

Open Space and Mountain Parks

Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement Policy
The Boulder Revised Code (B.R.C. 1981) establishes Open Space and Mountain Parks
(OSMP) Department rangers as City of Boulder police officers [B.R.C.1-2-1 (6) (100) (d)].
Rangers are responsible for law enforcement on the City’s OSMP properties in cooperation
with other city, county, and state law enforcement agencies. Rangers must obtain Peace Officer
Standards and Training (POST) certification and be granted peace officer authority by the State
of Colorado.

Rangers are granted a law enforcement commission by the City of Boulder. This commission
authorizes rangers to enforce all B.R.C. provisions, including municipal ordinances and rules.
Rangers may issue summonses for violations of this code and carry firearms after being
granted peace officer authority. This commission also allows rangers to stop and detain persons
for law enforcement purposes and to conduct a pat-down search of a person in the interest of
officer safety (B.R.C. 1981, 8-3-12). While no seasonal ranger, ranger intern, or volunteer is
permitted to carry a firearm, a seasonal ranger's commission may allow for all other provisions
stated in B.R.C. 1981, 8-3-12.

Rangers are limited in their authority and situations when they can make arrests. Rangers may
handcuff suspects for public safety and officer safety reasons and for the time needed to safely
escort them into custody of the Boulder Police Department (BPD), Boulder County Sheriff’s
Office (BCSO), or another law enforcement agency with jurisdiction in or around Boulder.
Furthermore, rangers may retain a suspect’s identification until a summons is issued or until a
police or sheriff’s unit arrives. If a suspect refuses to give identification, accept a summons or
ticket, or continues to perpetrate a code violation, rangers may detain the suspect’s vehicle by
locking gates or blocking exits until a police or sheriff’s unit arrives, provided they do not put
themselves or the public in any undue danger. OSMP Department guidelines stipulate that

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