Community Service Officers (CSO’s) are non-sworn, unarmed civilian officers that have a limited commission within the city of Fort Collins. CSO’s are used to respond to lower priority police calls, and calls which are service oriented, and do not necessarily require any type of enforcement or arrest, and which are not ‘in progress’ or require any extended investigation.

CSO’s are commissioned to investigate municipal ordinance and traffic violations, and to issue the appropriate citations where they find a violation has been committed. When the CSO’s respond to these types of calls, sworn police officers are able to respond to higher priority, 'in progress’ calls, and conduct proactive patrols and other enforcement-related tasks.

CSO’s allow the police department to provide an efficient, timely, and cost-effective service to our community. CSO’s are also able to take on other duties such as Crime Scene Investigator, Peer Support Team member, Reserve CSO advisor, CRASH team member and Fitness team member.

CSO duties include:

• Investigating and documenting injury and non- injury motor vehicle accidents, including ‘Hit and Runs’, and issuing traffic citations to drivers that have violated traffic laws
• Taking cold incident reports such as Vehicle Theft, Burglary, Vehicle Trespass, Criminal Mischief, Theft
• Lost or Found property reports including collecting and logging in property
• Assisting stranded motorists
• Removal of traffic hazards
• Traffic control and direction at motor vehicle accident and other incident scenes
• Investigating reports of abandoned vehicles, issuing citations and completing tow process
• Parking complaints, to include issuing citations for parking violations
• VIN verifications
• Vehicle lockouts
• Provides fire and crime scene security
• Process crime scenes by collecting and logging evidence
• Testifies in County and Municipal court
• Other duties as needed