See what makes CUPD such a great place to work!

Learn more about our community: CU Student Involvement in CUPD RecruitmentCollaboration with the Campus Community, and our recent national accreditation.

Meet a recent recruit class and watch a video outlining our divisions and opportunities beyond the badge.

Interested in working for CUPD in a position that isn't currently open? Please contact Officer Joe Rossi. 

Current openings:  

There are currently no openings, but check back frequently, as needs do change. 


CUPD Application Process and Steps in the Hiring Process

CUPD hires people interested in becoming a police officer who have not been to a POST certified academy and those that have already been through a POST certified academy.  CUPD also welcomes applicants of people who are currently serving as a Police Officer or have served within the last year as a fully certified Police Officer meeting Colorado POST certification standards. 

Police Officer Recruit/Lateral:

When applying for the position of Police Officer the steps in the hiring process are as follows:

Submit application and meet minimum qualifications – Week 1-3

Pass written exam – Week 4&5

Pass an Oral Board Interviews (police and community panel interviews) – Week 6

Phase I psychological suitability – Week 7&8

Personal History Survey (PHS) – Week 4-6

Detailed Background Investigation – Week 8-12

Employment reference checks – Week 8-12

Personal references checks – Week 8-12

Home visit – Week 8-12

Polygraph exam – Week 12-14

Chief's interview – Week 15

Conditional offer – Week 16

Phase II psychological exam – Week 16-18

Medical exam  – Week 16-18

Drug testing – Week 16-18

Credit check – Week 16-18

Fingerprinting – Week 16-18

Integrity interview – Week 19

Final Offer – Week 19

Dispatch Recruit:

Job posted second week of every month, closes end of month.

Criticall Testing Week 1 - Week 2

Community Board Week 3

Phase I Suitability/Polygraph Week 4 - Week 5

Chiefs Interview Week 6

Conditional Job Offer Week 7

Phase II Suitability, conducted on-line/in-person Drug Screen, Fingerprinting Week 8-Week 9

Backgrounds Week 8 - Week 13

Command Review of Background Week 14

Final Job Offer Week 15

 

Dispatch Lateral:

Job posted second week of every month, closes end of month.

Community Boar, Week 1

Phase I Suitability/Polygraph Week 2 - Week 3

Chiefs Interview Week 4

Conditional Job Offer Week 5

Phase II Suitability, conducted on-line/in-person Drug Screen, Fingerprinting Week 6 - Week 7

Backgrounds Week 6-Week 11

Command Review of Background Week 12

Final Job Offer Week 13

Starting for Police Academy or entry into CUPD mini-academy and CUPD PTO program January 2023.

Contact our recruitment team for further information about our positions and recruitment processes! For police and communications/dispatch positions, please contact Officer Joe Rossi. For all other positions, please contact Jacie Anderson

OTHER POSITIONS: 

  • Applications accepted
  • Testing conducted online Once your application is received, you will be contacted by a representative from Human Resources. The representative will provide you with a voucher to take the test through NTN. Completing the personal history questionnaire before taking the NTN test is mandatory. You are encouraged to take the test as soon as possible, as the hiring process is on a compressed schedule.
  • Police department/community oral boards, Interviews will be automatically scheduled over Zoom.
  • A Phase I suitability psychological exam, conducted online
  • Polygraphs This will require travel to Denver Metro/Boulder area. If you are an out-of-state applicant, your polygraph will be scheduled closer to the chief’s interview.
  • Chief’s interview
  • Conditional job offers
  • Phase II suitability, conducted online/in-person at the discretion of Psychological Dimensions
  • A medical exam and drug screen, conducted at Peak Form Medical near you:

       Brighton 303.655.9005
       Boulder  303.402.9283
       Broomfield  720.716.4518
       www.peakformcenter.com

  • Background checks will be conducted. Your background investigator will be in contact with you during this time.
  • Final job offers 

Candidates will be notified of the successful completion of each step in the process. Please do not make any travel arrangements until instructed to do so. Any changes to this schedule will be communicated directly to applicants still in the process and also updated on this website.


Potential Future Opportunities

Steps in the Hiring Process

All of our commissioned officers, both experienced and new officers, will go through the same hiring process steps. They include:

  • Submit application and meet minimum qualifications
  • Pass written exam
  • Oral board interview
  • Personal history questionnaire
  • Background worksheet
  • Employment checks
  • Personal references checks
  • Home visit
  • Polygraph exam
  • Phase I suitability
  • Conditional offer
  • Phase II psychological exam
  • Medical exam
  • Drug test
  • Credit check
  • Integrity interview
  • Fingerprinting
  • Chief's interview

Disqualification Guidelines

As a general rule, performance indicators and candidate information and records will be evaluated by considering the candidate as a whole, and taking into consideration the following:

  • Age at the time the behavior occurred
  • Passage of time
  • Patterns of past behavior
  • Severity of behavior
  • Probable consequences if past behavior is repeated or made public
  • Likelihood of recurrence
  • Relevance of past behavior to public safety employment
  • Aggravating and mitigating factors
  • Other relevant considerations

A candidate’s qualifications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, using a totality-of-the-circumstances framework.

Prior drug use shall be included in this process, using the Federal Drug Classification Schedules for the following standards.

  • Any conviction for the sale, manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance, or actions that support the sale, manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance will disqualify all applicants.
  • Applicants must not have used any drug listed in Schedule I, excluding marijuana, or Schedule II, in the last ten years.
  • Applicants must not have used any drug listed in Schedule III, Schedule IV or Schedule V, in the last five years.
  • Applicants must not have abused prescription medication in the last three years.
  • Per department policy, Commissioned Officer applicants who have used marijuana within two years of application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Colorado Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) Board

The Colorado POST board shall deny certification to any person who has been convicted of any felony or select misdemeanors. You can find the entire list here.

Experienced Officers

Would you like to be part of a new and engaging environment where you can grow and develop as an experienced officer? Our department usually begins recruitment once per month.

In accordance with the State of Colorado’s Classified position rules, applicants must meet the following requirements in order to be considered:

  • Must have current Colorado P.O.S.T. certification and one year of law enforcement experience.
  • Must be at least 21 years of age; possess a valid Colorado Driver License without:
    • Felony or domestic violence convictions.
    • Acquiring more than seven points in the last year and/or more than 12 points within the last two years on a driver’s license.
    • Alcohol/drug-related traffic convictions in the last three years and repeat alcohol/drug convictions after the age of 18 within the last ten years.

New Officers

The University of Colorado Boulder Police Department encourages anyone interested in starting a career in law enforcement to apply. Our department typically begins recruitment every Fall and Spring for new candidates.

In accordance with the State of Colorado’s Classified position rules, applicants must meet the following requirements in order to be considered:

  • One year of college coursework (30 semester hours).
  • Must be at least 21 years of age; possess a valid Colorado Driver License without:
    • Felony or domestic violence convictions
    • Acquiring more than seven points in the last year and/or more than 12 points within the last two years on a driver’s license.
    • Alcohol/drug-related traffic convictions in the last three years and repeat alcohol/drug convictions after the age of 18 within the last ten years.
  • Must be eligible to apply for Colorado P.O.S.T. certification. Current Colorado P.O.S.T. certification eligibility requirements may be found here.

Possible professional staff positions include, but are not limited to:

  • Clery Compliance and Crime Analyst
  • Community Safety Officials
  • Dispatcher
  • Event Management
  • Emergency Management
  • Fleet
  • Finance
  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • Property and Evidence
  • Public Information Officer
  • Records
  • Residential Safety Officials

Per department policy, professional staff applicants who have used marijuana within two years of application will be disqualified.

View current opportunities by logging into MyCUInfo, selecting the Student Employment tab, and searching for Hourly On-Campus with Police Services.

New Employee Benefits

Starting benefits include retirement contributions, vacation, sick, and ten paid holidays, as well as a tuition benefit. For further details about benefits click here.

Eligible employees receive a tuition assistance benefit. Read more about CU Boulder's tuition benefit. 

Questions regarding current job opportunities?

Contact our recruitment team for further information about our positions and recruitment processes! For police and communications/dispatch positions, please contact Officer Joe Rossi.