Dear CDPS members,
On Sept. 12, we will host our second annual Executive Director's Awards. These awards honor individuals and teams who go above and beyond, who serve as role models for innovation, leadership, hard work, collaboration, customer service and how to treat your colleagues. The awards also tell our story. They represent who we are -- or rather, who we strive to be as we seek to live by our values every day. I look forward to seeing many of you at the ceremony as we celebrate the winners and our shared culture. If you can't make it, I hope you'll take a moment to read about the winners and congratulate them as well as the many, many nominees.
--Stan Hilkey
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Election Year Activity
As we head into the fall election season, here are some friendly reminders regarding expectations of all state employees:
- You are free to engage in political activity on your own time, but please refrain from any sort of political activity on state time and/or using state devices or resources.
- If you are contacted at work by a campaign, please direct that communication to the EDO Planning and Communications Office (jana.locke@state.co.us).
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2018 State Credit Card Deadlines
If you use a state-issued Citi credit card, are an approver, or assist with allocations, please make sure that all allocations are completed in the Citi system prior to auto-close date.
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HRWorks is Coming in 2019
The State of Colorado is replacing the existing HR, payroll, and time & leave systems with HRWorks.
HRWorks is scheduled to go live in January 2019. DPA has created the
HRWorks Manager Toolkit to serve as a resource to support you when implementation of HRWorks begins.
Managers do not need to take any action at this time except to explore the toolkit’s contents. Read about the upcoming project and start thinking about what questions your staff may have, what barriers may stand in the way of success, and how you can play a role in supporting successful implementation of this tool. Employees are welcome to browse the site to learn about the upcoming project.
CDPS HR and Payroll staff are working with DPA to represent CDPS needs in this transition, including needs specific to our unique schedules (such as 7K). Find out more about HRWorks and sign up for updates at
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/hrworks
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First Responders are Vulnerable to Depression & Suicide; Resources are Available
According to
SAMHSA, "In a recent national survey of firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, 19 percent reported having had thoughts of suicide, 27 percent reported having struggled with substance use issues, and 81 percent said they feared being seen as weak or unfit for duty if they asked for help." The most recent quarterly Colorado Statewide Suicide Commission had a strong focus on first reponders' vulnerability to depression and suicide, along with resources that are available to help combat these issues:
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Customer Service: The Customer Connection
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Corey Niemeyer has joined the Planning and Communications team as the new Process Improvement Specialist. In this role, Corey will be working with all divisions to promote and sustain process improvement concepts, such as Lean, and to help employees continuously identify ways to use employee and customer feedback to enhance workflow and service delivery. Corey will also be working with employees who have gone through the Lean Academy to leverage their skills and knowledge.
Corey is originally from southern Illinois. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with a specialization in human resources and a minor in psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Following graduation, he moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where he earned a master's degree in International Operations and Supply Chain Management as well as a Lean Yellow Belt Certificate. In 2016 he worked at CDOT as a Process Improvement Intern, after which he worked for Boulder-based meal kit company Green Chef, which was recently acquired by HelloFresh.
You can find Corey's workspace on the 4th floor of 700 Kipling. Feel free to stop by to say hello!
Planning & Communications Wants Your Input
YOU (CDPS employees) are the primary customers of the Planning & Communications Office. Once a year, we send out a
survey to measure our progress towards our goals of improving communications and enhancing employee understanding of the mission, vision, values and direction of the department. We use your input and feedback to adjust our tactics and strategies. If you haven't taken it yet, please take five minutes to
complete our annual survey.
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Green Tip from your Green Team: Purchase the Right (Required!) Paper
DO YOU PURCHASE PAPER FOR CDPS?
Governor's Executive Order D 2015-013 directs all executive State agencies to purchase white paper containing
a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste content
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- Visit the CDPS Green Team site for help finding the right paper for your office.
- FACT: CDPS has a goal of purchasing at least 60% post-consumer recycled content paper. In FY2018 our recycled-content purchases reached 50% but fell short of our goal. Help us reach the goal!
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News: Our Public Safety Mission in Action
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CBI Plays Major Role in 34-Year-Old Homicide Cold Case Arrest
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At a joint news conference on Aug. 10, CBI joined criminal justice and law enforcement officials in announcing that arrest warrants have been issued in two 34-year-old cold case homicides in the metro Denver area.
George Brauchler, District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District, and Peter Weir, District Attorney for the 1st Judicial District, announced that arrest warrants out of each of their jurisdictions have been issued for Alexander Christopher Ewing. Ewing is currently in the custody of the Nevada Department of Corrections.
On January 10, 1984, Patricia Smith was found murdered in her home in Lakewood. Six days later, Bruce Bennett, his wife Debra, and their seven-year-old daughter were found murdered at their home in Aurora. Their three-year-old daughter was severely injured, but survived.
The investigation into these homicides has remained open, but both cases have been considered cold cases for over 30 years. While investigators recognized the similarities in the cases from the beginning, technology was limited. It was not until 2010 that, through the use of DNA, an official link was established between the two cases -- but there was still no identity matched with the DNA. Then, on July 11, 2018, CBI was able to provide Lakewood and Aurora investigators with information that led to the arrest warrants being filed against Ewing.
Read more here.
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DCJ Publishes First-of-its-Kind Report on DUI Offenses
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DCJ's Office of Research and Statistics in August published a report tracking a full year's worth of DUI offenses from arrest through final court outcome -- the first report of its kind in the nation to make such a robust and thorough examination of DUI offenses.
Analyst Becky Bui reviewed more than 27,000 case filings from 2016 with at least one DUI charge -- and nearly 100,000 total charges associated with these cases. She compiled data such as offender demographics, toxicology results, charges, final dispositions, associated traffic charges, whether the incident resulted in fatalities or injuries, and more.
The publication also provides an overview of Colorado’s laws, enforcement and detection methods, court processes, and challenges in regards to data. For example, it’s important to note that drug-related impairment is likely under-represented in the data compared to alcohol, due to the fact that alcohol is faster, easier and cheaper to screen for than other drugs.
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State Patrol and Partners Promote Responder Safety Through Campaign
As part of an ongoing campaign to improve safe working conditions for roadside first responders, Colorado State Patrol has produced a new video in coordination with the Statewide Standing Committee on Responder Safety.
The video represents a variety of first responders and provides simple, yet very important, safety messaging on how to drive around responders. Watch it by clicking below.
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DHSEM Helps Provide Rain Gauges for Wildfire Burn-Scar Areas
Colorado's Recovery Task Force worked with DHSEM Regional Field Managers and the National Weather Service to acquire professional-quality, durable rain gauges that will be deployed to community volunteer weather spotters in wildfire-burned areas across the state. These volunteers will record rain data that will be useful in determining what the "new normal" is for damaging rain in the burned areas. In addition, these weather spotters will have direct access to a NWS forecaster to warn if they are receiving unusually heavy rainfall during the event.
DHSEM Regional Field Managers are deploying these rain gauges through local emergency management offices.
Some of the burned areas will receive advanced rain monitoring equipment eventually. However, that takes time to purchase, install, and set up. These "analog" rain gauges can be deployed immediately until the equipment arrives -- and it will be useful if there is ever a technology failure once it is set up.
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DFPC Center of Excellence Tests Tactical Tech at Summer Music Festivals
Over the summer, the CoE had an opportunity to support safety and situational awareness at the 2018 County Jam and Telluride Music Festival while putting to the test a new technology the CoE is developing. Their goals for the "TAK" platform are to support situational awareness during disasters and emergencies in Colorado, including wildland fires. Watch the video by Bob Gann below to learn more!
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International Visitors Learn about Juvenile Justice During Visit to DCJ
A group of international criminal justice experts from seven countries around the globe came to Lakewood to learn about Colorado's juvenile justice system on Aug. 10. Meg Williams of the Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance (OAJJA) joined Matt Reide of the State Court Administrator's Office to present specifically about restorative justice best practices. The visitors were in Colorado for several days as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program run by the U.S. Department of State. Participants came from Cambodia, Costa Rica, Liberia, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
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DFPC Helitack Helps with Successful Search & Rescue Mission
On July 26, the DFPC Montrose fire helicopter deployed to assist in a search and rescue mission for two lost hikers in the Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
After about 15 minutes of searching, crewmember Jerek Bickford spotted two individuals on the river bottom. When the helicopter performed a low-level pass, one of the individuals signaled the aircraft. The pilot flew upriver, executed a 180-degree turn in the tight canyon, and found a site to land. Two EMTs and an NPS employee on foot met up with the helitack crew to provide initial treatment to the hikers, who the DFPC helicopter then airlifted out of the canyon.
Read the Full Story.
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Chief Packard, Director Hilkey and CDPS Members Do #EatTheBean Challenge
In early August, CSP Chief Matt Packard thew down a challenge to CDPS Director Hilkey, members of his own staff, and law enforcement colleagues in the community: raise money to prevent skin cancer through the #EatTheBean Challenge. The hilarious challenge punishes participants' taste buds while raising funds for the Skin Cancer Foundation. Click below to watch some of the videos -- and feel free to join in!
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CDPS Team Completes Special Olympics Plane Pull
State Patrol members led the way as a 25-person CDPS team heaved a 164,000-pound plane and raised money to support the Special Olympics. The team raised $1,279 for Special Olympics.
The event is one of many fundraisers CDPS members have contributed towards in support of inclusivity and activities for special Coloradans.
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Annual Executive Director's Award Winners
On Sept. 12, CDPS members from all divisions and all areas of the state will gather to celebrate the excellence and achievement of their colleagues at the second annual CDPS Executive Director's Awards.
The awards honor those who exemplify our shared mission, vision and values. Executive Director Hilkey will present the 2018 awards at a BBQ and awards ceremony in Golden.
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Do you have news, stories, events, "People on the Move", or other content to share with all CDPS employees? Submit your story ideas, details and photos by the 10th of the month to your Division PIO or to
Patricia.Billinger@state.co.us
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