The United States Marshals Service in Colorado recently made news when reports surfaced that a man wanted in the killing of three people in Southern Colorado was captured in Oklahoma. The hard work of the U.S. marshals in Colorado and the information they were able to provide to U.S. marshals in Oklahoma and Texas led to the arrest of this armed and dangerous fugitive and the successful conclusion of a nationwide manhunt.
Qualifying and Completing The Pre-Employment Process
The hiring procedure for U.S. marshals in Colorado follows a multi-phase process. When the agency is hiring for deputy U.S. marshals during a recruitment period, a notification is generally posted on their website. During this period, candidates for U.S. marshal jobs in Colorado are required to complete the following process:
- Ensure they meet the minimum requirements for employment, which include:
- Being between 21 and 36 years old
- Being a United States citizen
- Possessing a valid driver’s license
- Being in excellent physical condition
- Possessing the education/experience qualifications of the GL-7 federal pay level, which includes possessing, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a history of superior academic achievement or at least one year of specialized law enforcement/criminal investigative experience equivalent to the GL-5 level
- Apply online through www.USAjobs.gov
- Take the a competitive written examination
- Successfully complete a medical examination and comprehensive background investigation
- Successfully complete a physical fitness assessment
- Successfully complete a structured panel interview
The New Hire In-Service Training Process
Only the most qualified candidates can become U.S. marshals and are invited to attend the agency’s rigorous, 17 ½ week basic training program, which is held at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia.
The program, which is physically strenuous, demands individuals who are in excellent, physical condition. Therefore, the USMS recommends that all new trainees are physically fit before they attend the training program. The program includes no less than 7 exams, all of which must be successfully passed with a minimum score of 70 percent, as well as a final physical fitness test, which must also be passed to become a U.S. marshal.
Some of the topics covered during USMS basic training include:
- Legal training
- Court security
- Driver training
- Search and seizure
- Officer survival
- First aid
- Prisoner search and restraint
- Protective service training
- Courtroom evidence and procedures
- Physical conditioning
U.S. Marshals Task Forces and Operations in Colorado
Colorado U.S. marshals, like U.S. marshals throughout the United States, are crucial members of the country’s federal justice system, as they serve as the enforcement arm of the federal courts. Therefore, their duties are required in nearly every federal law enforcement initiative, including protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, transporting federal prisoners, and executing civil and criminal processes, among others.
The United States Marshals Service in Colorado operates out of a number of field offices throughout the state, including: Colorado Springs, Durango, Grand Junction, and Pueblo. Court for the District of Colorado is held in Durango, Grand Junction, Montrose, Boulder Pueblo, Denver, and Sterling.
The Colorado District of the U.S. Marshals Service also oversees the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Fugitive Location Apprehension Group (FLAG). The Rocky Mountain HIDTA facilitates the cooperation and coordination of law enforcement agencies at all levels so as to combat drug trafficking. The HIDTA is a joint, multi-agency task force that shares information and engages in cooperative efforts to accomplish this goal.