Important Update Regarding Firearms on Red Rocks Community College Campuses

We wanted to make you aware of a new state law (Senate Bill 24-131) that affects the carrying of firearms on Red Rocks campuses.

As of July 1, 2024, state law will prohibit carrying firearms on college campuses, including all RRCC buildings and campus grounds, unless a limited exception applies. This ban applies to all individuals, including students, employees, guests, and visitors, including those who hold a valid permit for concealed carry.

Where Firearms Are Permitted

Individuals who carry a firearm in accordance with a valid concealed carry permit may only carry firearms in parking areas. Instructors associated with the Law Enforcement Police Academy will be permitted to conceal carry and use firearms for approved educational purposes, subject to the rules and protocols of the program. The law continues to permit RRCC police and authorized security personnel to carry and use firearms on campus.

What You Can Do

To comply with the new law, students, employees, guests, and visitors should leave firearms at home or keep them properly secured in their vehicleswhile on campus. Firearms stored in vehicles must be appropriately locked and out of plain view as required by law, including House Bill 24-1348. For questions, please reach out to our Chief Anthony Schaller at 303-914-6394.

Red Rocks Community College Campus Police is here to serve everyone in our college community. We are well aware and very upset at the indefensible use of force by police. Incidents involving unjustified and excessive force by police are abhorrent and objectionable to us, and I want to ensure everyone that this is not who we are. The RRCC Campus Police values every member of our college community. We hold ourselves to the highest standard of ethics and integrity.  We will treat everyone with the utmost dignity and respect, while providing a safe environment that is equitable for our diverse community.     

The RRCC Campus Police Department supports and embraces recent laws involving police accountability passed by the Colorado legislature in July 2020 (Police Accountability Bill SB 20-217). Although not required for a Campus Police force, we are committed to incorporating body worn cameras and are in the process of acquiring them.  These cameras will reinforce our deep commitment of accountability and transparency to our campus constituents and will help to instill the continued confidence in our department and our peace officers.   

Our department takes great pride in being responsive to our community’s needs and will continue to provide professional service of the utmost integrity in the most conscientious manner. I believe that our campus police success has always come from the great relationships we have worked hard to nurture with our community through listening and interacting on a daily basis.  As a way of helping to accomplish this, we will provide open forums for students, faculty, and staff both live and via web-based formats, as conditions allow.  We are committed to working with our community openly and without reservation so that concerns can be voiced, and solutions realized.    

Sincerely and respectfully,

Anthony Schaller, Interim Chief of RRCC Campus Police

Red Rocks Community College Campus Police Department was established in 1986 with only one Chief of Police and one Officer. Today the Red Rocks Campus Police Department currently has a Chief, a Sergeant, a Police Services Manager, five full-time officers, and three full-time dispatchers.

RRPD is a full service Police Department and is responsible for providing law enforcement services and ensuring public safety throughout both the Lakewood Campus and Arvada Campus. We take great pride in ensuring that all students, staff, faculty, and visitors have a safe and secure campus, free of crime and safety hazards.

Our department strives to build strong and effective community partnerships. These relationships allow us to work together to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life and education for those who attend or visit Red Rocks.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Enforce State and local criminal statutes
• Crime prevention
• Traffic enforcement
• Criminal Investigations (misdemeanor and felony)
• Civil disputes
• Medical emergencies
• Parking enforcement
• Foot patrol
• Community Policing
• Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)
• Critical incidents
• Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
• Assists to other agencies