Colorado Mounted Rangers (CMR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and former statutory state law enforcement

auxiliary Auxiliary may refer to: * A backup site or system In language * Auxiliary language (disambiguation) * Auxiliary verb In military and law enforcement * Auxiliary police * Auxiliaries, civilians or quasi-military personnel who provide support of ...

in the US State of Colorado. The organization served as the legal entity for the Colorado Rangers from February 1941 until In July 2018, when the Colorado Mounted Rangers ceased their operational law enforcement activities, transitioning the Colorado Rangers to a newly formed government agency named Colorado Rangers Law Enforcement Shared Reserve. Colorado Mounted Rangers annually provided more than 50,000 volunteer hours to law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Colorado by providing additional peace officer resources in times of need. The Statutory Auxiliary was not funded by tax dollars and the Colorado Mounted Rangers served without pay. The Colorado Rangers are the oldest statewide

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...

organization in

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

, originally organized in 1861 by the

Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado. The territory was organized in the w ...

Early history of the Colorado Rangers 1861-1941

The Rangers trace their roots to the Jefferson Rangers, keeping the peace in the unofficial

Jefferson Territory The Territory of Jefferson was an extralegal and unrecognized United States territory that existed from October 24, 1859 until the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861. The Jefferson Territory, named for Founding Father and Un ...

during the

Pikes Peak Gold Rush The Pike's Peak Gold Rush (later known as the Colorado Gold Rush) was the boom in gold prospecting and mining in the Pike's Peak Country of western Kansas Territory and southwestern Nebraska Territory of the United States that began in July 1858 a ...

. When the

was established in 1861, they were reorganized as the Colorado Rangers, continuing to serve as Colorado's only statewide

law enforcement agency A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEAs ...

through the 1920s. The Colorado Rangers were fashioned after the well known Texas Rangers and served as both law enforcement and state militia. The Colorado Rangers often fought on horseback with repeating revolvers and were instrumental in the

Battle of Glorieta Pass The Battle of Glorieta Pass (March 26–28, 1862) in the northern New Mexico Territory, was the decisive battle of the New Mexico campaign during the American Civil War. Dubbed the " Gettysburg of the West" by some authors (a term described ...

, helping to stop the

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

advance towards the Colorado gold fields. This battle has become known as the " Gettysburg of the West" for its importance to the Union victory. After the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, the Colorado Rangers returned to their law enforcement duties. From time to time the Rangers were also called upon by Colorado's governors to keep the peace during times of

civil unrest Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, or social unrest is a situation arising from a mass act of civil disobedience (such as a demonstration, riot, strike, or unlawful assembly) in which law enforcement has difficulty m ...

natural disaster A natural disaster is "the negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community". A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some econ ...

s, and during disputes such as the violent Labor Wars in Colorado's

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...

towns. The Rangers were also present at the

Columbine Mine massacre The Columbine Mine massacre, sometimes called the first Columbine massacre, occurred in 1927, in the town of Serene, Colorado. A fight broke out between Colorado state militia and a group of striking coal miners, during which the unarmed mine ...

in 1927. The Rangers were accused of firing machine guns into the crowds of miners during the shooting, which was disputed by the Rangers. Rangers were also utilized by Denver District Attorney

Philip Van Cise Philip S. Van Cise (October 25, 1884 – December 8, 1969), was a U.S. Army colonel, crimebusting district attorney, and private practice lawyer in Denver, Colorado. He is best known for arresting and prosecuting the notorious "Million-Dollar ...

to break up

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

and

corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

's City Hall in the early 1920s. In 1922 Van Cise set up an independent investigation of the Blonger gang, secretly funded by a group of wealthy Denver citizens. On August 24 of that year, Van Cise used a special force of Colorado Rangers to capture 33 suspects in a single day. Fearing that the

Police would tip off the gang once the first suspect was taken to jail, Van Cise detained the gang members in the basement of the First Universalist Church, where he was a member, until the sweep was complete. In Colorado's longest and most expensive trial to that time, 20

con men A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have de ...

, including

Lou Blonger Lou Blonger (May 13, 1849 – April 20, 1924), born Louis Herbert Belonger, was a Wild West saloonkeeper, gambling-house owner, and mine speculator, but is best known as the kingpin of an extensive ring of confidence tricksters that operated f ...

, was convicted and sent to prison, effectively busting the "Million-Dollar Bunco Ring." As a result of a campaign promise to

organized labor A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

and other interests, Governor William E. Sweet signed an

executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of th ...

on January 29, 1923, cutting off funding to the Rangers. The Colorado Rangers were officially disbanded by the Colorado General Assembly on April 1, 1927. This left Colorado without statewide police protection until 1935 when the Colorado State Highway Courtesy Patrol (later becoming the

Colorado State Patrol The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) (originally known as the Colorado State Highway Courtesy Patrol), based in Lakewood, Colorado, is a division of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, and is one of the official state patrol agencies of Colorad ...

) was formed. The Colorado State Patrol was formed to enforce traffic laws on state highways, not as a criminal law enforcement agency.

Colorado Rangers function as the Colorado Mounted Rangers 1941-2018

1941 reorganization as Colorado Mounted Rangers

Governor Teller Ammons re-organized the

Colorado Rangers The Colorado Rangers Law Enforcement Shared Reserve (known publicly as the Colorado Rangers) is a governmental police agency in the U.S. state of Colorado. Colorado Rangers are sworn, Colorado P.O.S.T. Certified police officers who serve as forc ...

as the Colorado Mounted Rangers. The organization was created as a volunteer law enforcement auxiliary . On February 21, 1941, they were formally incorporated with a single Troop of 50 Rangers headquartered in Bailey.

1955 reorganization

In 1955 with a growing role in

civil defense Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, miti ...

and under the guidance of Teller County Sheriff Rufus Jones, the Colorado Mounted Rangers expanded the organization forming a squadron of Troops located throughout the state. Troops partnered with local Law Enforcement agencies in their area to provide them with additional peace officers when needed. Rangers_provide_local_Law_Enforcement_agencies_with_additional_Peace_Officers

Rangers_provide_local_Law_Enforcement_agencies_with_additional_Peace_Officers

2017 reorganization and the transition of Colorado Rangers back into official government service

In 2017, pursuant recommendations by a special task force created by law to study the authority of Colorado Mounted Rangers, a new government entity was formed to expand role of Colorado Rangers as a governmental law enforcement agency. The Colorado Mounted Rangers ceased their operational law enforcement auxiliary functions on July 15, 2018. The Colorado Mounted Rangers continue to exist as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports the Colorado Rangers with foundational level fundraising. (See:

)

Law Enforcement Auxiliary per C.R.S § 24-33.5-822

Rangers working alongside local Police Department

In 2012, thanks to a non-partisan effort by the Colorado General Assembly, Governor

John Hickenlooper John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. (; born February 7, 1952) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd governor of Colorado from 2011 to 20 ...

signed Senate Bill 12-07
(Link)
into law, formally recognizing the Ranger's role as a Law Enforcement Auxiliary in the Colorado State Statutes. "Therefore, the general assembly declares that the Colorado Mounted Rangers should be established as an all-volunteer, unpaid auxiliary unit for the purpose of lending assistance to...law enforcement agencies in the state." Section 24-32-2222 in Senate Bill 12-072 was then harmonized with House Bill 12-1283 and relocated to section 24-33.5-822 placing the Rangers under the Department of Public Safety in 24-33.5 C.R.S. While the Rangers had been operating under formal memoranda of understanding (MOU's) with agencies across the State, this legislation formalized the Colorado Mounted Rangers' role as the State Law Enforcement Auxiliary and clarified it in the Colorado Revised Statutes. At their peak, the Colorado Mounted Rangers had a memorandum of understanding with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and partnered with dozens of law enforcement and other government agencies including State, County and local agencies.

Supported Agencies

The Colorado Mounted Rangers had an operational Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each of the following Law Enforcement, OEM, Fire Agencies and Government entities: STATE AGENCIES:
- Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management - Auraria Police (University of Denver / Metro State University / Community College of Denver) - Community College of Aurora SHERIFFS OFFICES:
- Adams County SO
- Archuleta County SO
- Crowley County SO
- Douglas County SO
- Eagle County SO
- Fremont County SO
- Gilpin County SO
- Kiowa County SO
- La Plata County SO POLICE DEPARTMENTS:
Ranger accident scene

- Aguilar Marshal
- Ault PD
- Commerce City PD
- Dacono PD
- Dillon PD
- Durango PD
- Elizabeth PD
- Empire PD
- Evans PD
- Fairplay PD
- Firestone PD
- Florence PD
- Fort Lupton PD
- Fowler PD
- Frederick PD
- Fountain PD
- Georgetown PD
- Glendale PD
- Greeley PD
- Haxtun PD
- Idaho Springs PD
- Johnstown PD
- Kiowa PD
- LaSalle PD
- Manitou Springs PD
- Milliken PD
- Nederland PD
- Oak Creek PD
- Rocky Ford PD
- Salida PD
- Vail PD
- Windsor PD
- Woodland Park PD COUNTY GOVERNMENTS: - Adams County OEM
- Teller County TOWN / CITY GOVERNMENTS:
- Bayfield
- Dillon
- Elizabeth
- Green Mountain Falls
- Monument
- Ordway
- Palmer Lake
- Ramah FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS: - Canon City Area FPD Rangers regularly provided additional personnel to these agencies when requested and acted as peace officers under their memorandum of understanding agreements. Rangers acting under the MOU were under the direction and supervision of the Law Enforcement Agency they were supporting.

Recognition

In 1999, fallen Ranger Edward P. Bell's name was enshrined on the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial which is located on the grounds of the Colorado State Patrol Academy in Golden, Colorado. Ranger Bell is the only Ranger in the over 150-year history of the Rangers to have been killed in the line of duty. In 2001, the Colorado General Assembly's

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

passed House Resolution 01-1009 to recognize and honor the Colorado Mounted Rangers service to the Citizens of Colorado since the days of the Colorado Territory. In 2002, the

Colorado State Senate The Colorado Senate is the upper house of the Colorado General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Colorado. It is composed of 35 members elected from single-member districts, with each district having a population of about 123, ...

passed Senate Resolution 02-008 that recognized the long-standing tradition of honorable service that the Colorado Mounted Rangers have provided since 1861. In 2004, Governor Bill Owens declared Feb. 21, 2004, "Colorado Mounted Ranger Day" honoring Rangers continuing contributions. Governor Owens also acknowledged the Rangers one time role as the "Governor's Guard". In 2011, fallen Ranger Edward P. Bell's name was enshrined at the

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is in Washington, D.C., at Judiciary Square, adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Museum. It honors 23,229 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout American hist ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

during

National Police Week Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is an observance in the United States that pays tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. It is celebrated May 15th of each y ...

. Rangers made the journey to Washington D.C. to participate in the ceremonies honoring fallen officers from across the United States. In 2011, United States Senator

Michael Bennet Michael Farrand Bennet (born November 28, 1964) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Colorado, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed t ...

recognized the Rangers 150 years of service to the citizens of Colorado. Senator Bennett thanked the Rangers for answering the call to public service.

References

*Van Cise, Philip S. ''Fighting the Underworld.'' (Cambridge, Mass.: The Riverside Press, 1936) *McClure, Carleton E. ''History of the Colorado Mounted Rangers.'' (Minute Man Press, 1982)