Today at 2:30 PM, at the Office of the Sheriff, located at 27 E. Vermijo Avenue, El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder and Teller County Sheriff Mike Ensminger will be swearing in nearly 50 members of the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to give them jurisdiction in both counties to investigate cases as they relate to the Deadly Force Investigations Team (DFIT).

The DFIT will investigate matters where, when acting in official capacity, a Parties’ law enforcement personnel:

          a. Discharges his/her weapon and the discharge causes either bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death to
              another person or
          b. Uses other deadly force that causes the death of another person.

Matters that occur when off duty may be investigated by the DFIT, by request and agreement by the DFIT Team.

Members of the Colorado Springs Police Department, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office will make up the DFIT Team, with a liaison from the involved agency participating as well.

This has come about as a result of recent legislation C.R.S.A. 16-2.5-301 Peace Officer involved shooting investigations protocol., which became effective May 20, 2015.  Copies of the executed Memorandum of Understanding will be provided at the Swearing In.

Members of the media and public are invited to attend.