Colo. Mounted Rangers to be protected under state law

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law a bill that returns the Colorado Mounted Rangers to the state statutes on March 24.

While the axiliary agency has been active, they have not been recognized or protected by the state.

Citing an example involving traffic directing, a task the CMR frequently engages in, Col. Robert DeVega said, “If there’s a car accident, that’s on them, believe it or not. If they get hit by a car, it’s on them. Now with the new statute, with the new bill, there’s workman compensation. There’s also governmental immunity. As long as their acts were lawful and directed, they’re covered.”

DeVega is the CMR statewide commander. He said before the bill was signed, liability was a major issue facing the agency.

There are about 200 CMRs in the state, with about 35 CMRs in Troop I. That troop caters to El Paso, Chaffee, Pueblo, Crowley and Otero County.

According to DeVega, the axiliary agency “can do search and rescue, firefighting, EMS, emergency management, and law enforcement. The troops on the front range mostly do the law enforcement aspect, but the troop in Durango does search and rescue almost exclusively.”

DeVega said the agency provides additional assistance to agencies that are in need of more personnel.

“What we do is we provide that extra presence, that uniformed, armed presence, working underneath that agency, underneath their authority and underneath their direction. It just a force multiplier for them,” said DeVega.

The CMR relies on donations and volunteers to complete the tasks requested of them.

For more information on volunteering with the group or to make a donation, click here.