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Liquor Enforcement Division Job

The Liquor Enforcement Division's mission is to promote public safety, support economic growth, and ensure the responsible sale and consumption of liquor and tobacco products through the fair, transparent, and consistent administration of Colorado's liquor, tobacco, and nicotine laws.

What we do:

The professional in this position is a certified Peace Officer - Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.), who fulfills statutory responsibility to administer and enforce Colorado's alcohol beverage and tobacco laws in a consistent and common-sense manner. It serves and protects the Colorado public and fosters a clean, healthy, three-tier industry within the state for the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcohol beverages.

Job Duties:

The Criminal Investigator III is located in the Liquor & Tobacco Enforcement Division and is responsible for conducting investigations of licensed liquor and tobacco businesses to ensure compliance with Colorado laws and regulations. Duties will include performing inspections, compliance checks, and undercover operations, preparing investigative reports and testifying in administrative or criminal proceedings. The Criminal Investigator III will gather evidence through interviews, surveillance and database research, and may issue summonses or make arrest as needed.

Liquor, Tobacco, and Criminal Code Investigations:

• Upon assignment or self-initiated activity conducts inspections, compliance checks and plans investigations and/or undercover investigations of alleged violations of Colorado Liquor and Tobacco Statutes, Criminal Statutes, and Regulations to determine if a violation has occurred and takes appropriate action, such as issuing a criminal summons or completing a charging document of proposed allegations and violations for review by management and the appointing authority.
• Conduct interviews in response to active administrative and criminal investigations. Interview witnesses, suspects, complainants, applicants, licensees, and the general public to detect, discover, and obtain additional information or evidence related to the investigation.
• Understand and utilize Public Service Record (PSR) CSP evidence tracking system, Callyo and any other databases to support administrative and criminal investigations.
• Make physical arrests when necessary for violations of law during liquor and tobacco investigations, consistent with Department policy.
• Conduct covert operations and/or surveillance of a Colorado Liquor or Tobacco license to produce evidence for an alleged administrative action or criminal prosecution. These operations shall be approved by an Agent in Charge before participating in these activities, the appointing authority shall be notified prior to participation for determination of deconfliction efforts or drafting of an operation plan with coordinated activities with other agencies.

Statutory Enforcement:

• Responds to complaints and proactively visits/inspects Colorado liquor and tobacco licensed businesses, as an armed peace officer to prevent and discourage the prohibited possession, sale, and consumption on or off the licensed premises.
• Applies standard fact-finding analysis uses problem-solving, specialized investigative techniques, and available technological tools to conduct investigations. Utilizes professional judgment to assess compliance and arrive at sound conclusions. Develops intervention strategies designed to achieve immediate onsite correction and long-term compliance.
• Conducts interviews of complainants, applicants and licensees for approval or denial of a license or administrative proceedings involving liquor and tobacco regulations, Conducts interviews of victims, witnesses, and suspects and issues criminal summonses which involve liquor and tobacco.
• Provides clear, concise, accurate, and factual summaries of investigations, both orally and in writing, for criminal and administrative prosecution. These documented findings identify alleged violations for criminal prosecution or administrative action.
• Plans and performs regular underage sale compliance checks of liquor and tobacco businesses that may result in criminal enforcement.
• Prepares sworn affidavits for judicial review for warrants related to liquor and tobacco criminal violations.
• Testifies in civil and criminal court and administrative hearings.
• Assist local police agencies by providing law enforcement support in relation to liquor and tobacco investigations.
• Conducts physical arrests when appropriate in relation to liquor and tobacco investigations.
• Drafts Operational Plans to outline operational staffing, objectives, necessary equipment and other operational awareness intelligence for review by supervisory staff and management.
• Position coordinates operations with the underage operative to address operation logistics to ensure a sufficient number of operations are conducted annually. The Criminal Investigator III while on operations with the underage operative, will ensure accurate time is reflected on the timecard being submitted to an Agent in Charge for review.
• Upon request from a law enforcement agency, the Criminal Investigator III conducts investigations of liquor licenses for potential over-service of alcohol or other violations that may have contributed to serious or fatal motor vehicle accidents as supplementary investigations for motor vehicle fatalities.

Regulatory Compliance:

• Responds to and investigates complaints of alleged violations of Colorado Liquor and Tobacco codes from licensees, law enforcement, local licensing authorities, and the general public.
• Plans, coordinates, and executes effective investigations into alleged violations of Colorado Liquor and Tobacco Regulations.
• Collaborate with local licensing authorities and law enforcement in conducting compliance checks of tobacco licensees to ensure all Synar checks and statutory requirements pertaining to tobacco checks are completed in the area of responsibility. Determines compliance upon thorough investigation and review of licensee practices and documentation.
• Delivers clear, concise, accurate, and factual summaries of the results of investigations both orally and in writing for criminal prosecution and administrative action. These documented findings identify alleged. violations for criminal prosecution or administrative action.
• The Criminal Investigator III conducts assigned investigations of alleged Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) violations. This requires communication with licensees and site visits. Notifications are sent to licensees outlining violations that require correction.

Administrative:

• Accurately document all work time and leave in the Department time-tracking database, Ultimate Workforce Development (UKG). Submits approvals for all overtime requests to the supervisor.
• Maintains Google calendar schedule to include daily activities, locations, and other supervisor expectations. Maintains communication and transparency with team members and supervisory staff. Is available for contact from management, supervisor(s), co-workers, and stakeholders.
• Attends all Department training, both in person and online, and reviews all appropriate resources as it pertains to job duties and assignments. Maintains required certifications to include but not limited to arrest control/defensive tactics, firearms, CCIC, and other certifications and training as mandated by the Department of Revenue and POST.
• Prepares comprehensive investigative reports for criminal and administrative case files consistent with Division policy within the minimum timeframe guidelines established.
• Prepares Demand for Records, summonses, arrest warrants, and search warrants as necessary. Drafts charging documents for cases referred for administrative action.
• Maintains spreadsheets as assigned to accurately reflect duties performed for Division statistical purposes, keeping supervisory staff apprised of activities and accomplishments.
• Provides training to local authorities, law enforcement, industry stakeholders, and the general public in an effort to ensure comprehension and compliance with liquor and tobacco requirements.