Colorado Bureau of Investigation

What Colorado Bureau of Investigation does

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), established in 1967 and headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, is a state government law enforcement agency operating under the Colorado Department of Public Safety. With more than 330 members, CBI functions as a 'by request' service provider to local, county, and state agencies, delivering investigative support for complex cases including homicides, cyber crimes, human trafficking, and organized crime, alongside specialized forensic and criminal justice data services. The agency maintains a portfolio of interconnected service modules: Criminal Justice Information Services anchored by the Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC); Firearms InstaCheck Services for background checks; Forensic Services including DNA database management, toxicology, and ANAB-accredited lab operations; Investigations Unit covering major crimes, cold cases, missing persons, and fugitive operations; Records and Background Checks; the statewide Sex Offender Registry; and community alert programs (AMBER, Blue, Medina, Missing Indigenous Person). Regional offices operate in Golden, Pueblo, and Grand Junction.

CBI's underlying technology stack comprises forensic DNA testing systems, an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) with LiveScan devices, the CCIC criminal justice information system, the Forensic Advantage Web Services Portal for evidence submission, and Mobile Fingerprint Devices 2.0 deployed across 37 agencies since July 2024 for field identification. The agency holds CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation (fourth award in August 2025), ANAB forensic lab accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017, FBI Quality Assurance Standards for DNA testing, and OSAC Standards Implementer recognition. Specialized forensic capabilities include Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) for cold case resolution and a newly launched Impaired Driving Toxicology Data Dashboard.

The agency's business model is government appropriations from the Colorado state legislature, supplemented by minor fees from public records requests and background checks under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA). CBI does not engage in commercial sales; services are requested by law enforcement agencies and rendered on a by-request basis. The agency is currently navigating a reform and modernization cycle following the 2026 guilty plea of former forensic scientist Yvonne 'Missy' Woods for manipulating DNA test results on approximately 1,000 tests spanning 2008-2023, which has triggered independent assessment, leadership transition (Armando Saldate III appointed Director July 2025), and operational restructuring including outsourcing of DNA kits to private laboratories at ~$2,000 per case to reduce a backlog that peaked at 1,462 cases.

Name

Colorado Bureau of Investigation

Legal name

Colorado Bureau of Investigation

Website

https://cbi.colorado.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is a Colorado state government law enforcement agency, established in 1967, providing investigative, forensic, and criminal justice data services to local, county, and state agencies on a by-request basis. It operates the CCIC, statewide DNA and fingerprint databases, and four ANAB-accredited forensic labs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Law Enforcement Services

NAICS

Police Protection (92212), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (9221), Other Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922190)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Investigations & Forensics (Detectives, Crime Labs, CSI) (BPAIAGAI)

Keywords

• Criminal investigation services
• Forensic laboratory services
• Criminal justice information
• Law enforcement support
• Background check services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: State government agency funded through legislative appropriations from Colorado's state budget

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation provides investigative, forensic, and criminal justice data services to support local, county, and state law enforcement agencies. Operating as a by-request agency, CBI assists with complex criminal cases including homicides, cyber crimes, human trafficking, and organized crime, while operating statewide systems such as the Sex Offender Registry, DNA database, and Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC).

Product overview

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is a government law enforcement agency established in 1967 that operates as a unified platform of investigative, forensic, and criminal justice data services. The agency's offerings consist of multiple interconnected service modules: Criminal Justice Information Services (centered on the Colorado Crime Information Center), Firearms InstaCheck Services for background checks, Forensic Services (including DNA database, toxicology, and the Forensic Advantage Web Services Portal), Investigations Unit (covering major crimes, cold cases, missing persons), Records and Background Checks, Sex Offender Registry, and CBI Alert Programs (AMBER Alert, Blue Alert, Missing Indigenous Person Alert, etc.). Additionally, CBI administers the Supporting Recovery Programs Persons Who Wander Grant for local government recovery programs. These services work together to support local, county, and state agencies in criminal investigations, forensic science, and records management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Justice Information Services (CCIC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced DNA testing turnaround time from 450 days to 190 days since summer 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and major.

• South Dakota Division of Criminal InvestigationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration on Yvonne 'Missy' Woods DNA fraud case investigation.
• Kansas Bureau of InvestigationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaborated with KBI to ensure independent evaluation of scientific and technical issues in the Woods investigation.
• First Judicial District Attorney's OfficesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 June 2026Partnered with First Judicial District Attorney's Office on the Missy Woods case prosecution.
• Private DNA Testing LaboratoriessupportingTechnology or Integration · 26 February 2026CBI outsourcing sexual assault DNA testing kits to private laboratories at approximately $2,000 per case to address backlog. Cost is approximately $2,000 per case.
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field DivisionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Joint investigation with DEA on counterfeit fentanyl seizure case resulting in 1.7 million counterfeit pills seized - largest one-time seizure in Colorado history and sixth-largest in U.S. history. CBI providing investigative support alongside federal partners.
• Pueblo Police DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2025Collaboration on Davis Mortuary criminal investigation alongside Pueblo County Sheriff's Office and 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
• North Metro Drug Task ForcemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025CBI, DEA, and North Metro Drug Task Force conducted interstate drug investigation resulting in arrest of four individuals and seizure of approximately 800,000 fentanyl pills.
• Fremont County Sheriff's OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2024Lead agency in multi-jurisdictional investigation into illicit marijuana-manufacturing and distribution operations spanning multiple properties.
• Rocky Mountain HIDTA Front Range Drug Task ForcemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2024Joint investigation partner on illegal marijuana operation across Fremont, El Paso, and Pueblo counties.
• U.S. Marshals Service Colorado Violent Offender Task Force (COVOTF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2024Multi-agency task force including CBI Grand Junction Office, U.S. Marshals, FBI, HSI, and local agencies for fugitive apprehension and missing child recovery operations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS): Texas DPS is a large state-level public safety agency providing criminal investigations, forensic laboratory services, and criminal justice information systems. Comparable in function and breadth to CBI though larger in scale.
• South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI): South Dakota DCI is a smaller state criminal investigative bureau that collaborated with CBI and the First Judicial DA on the Missy Woods case. Functionally a direct peer for state-level investigative and forensic services.
• Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI): Iowa DCI is a state-level criminal investigative and forensic services bureau that assists local agencies with complex cases, cybercrime, and laboratory analysis. Its mandate and by-request operating model closely mirror CBI's.
• California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services: California's BFS operates one of the largest state forensic laboratory networks in the U.S., providing DNA, toxicology, and criminalistics services to local law enforcement — directly comparable to CBI's ANAB-accredited forensic operations.
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE): FDLE is a large state-level law enforcement agency providing investigative, forensic, and criminal justice information services to local Florida agencies — a direct functional parallel to CBI, with comparable statewide DNA database and AFIS operations.
• Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI): The KBI is CBI's direct peer — a statewide law enforcement agency providing criminal investigations, forensic laboratory services, and criminal justice information services to local Kansas agencies. CBI and KBI actively collaborated on the Missy Woods DNA case investigation, confirming operational comparability.
• North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI): NCSBI provides statewide criminal investigations, forensic sciences, and information services to local North Carolina law enforcement. It is structurally identical to CBI in scope, services (DNA database, latent prints), and customer base.

Emerging players

• NMS Labs: NMS Labs is a private forensic laboratory that performs outsourced toxicology, DNA, and specialty testing for law enforcement — the type of vendor CBI uses for sexual assault DNA outsourcing at $2,000/case. Comparable for forensic service delivery, though not a public safety agency.
• Bode Technology: Bode Technology is a private forensic DNA and genetic genealogy provider serving law enforcement, with FIGG capabilities comparable to CBI's. Relevant as a private-sector alternative for the advanced forensic services CBI provides.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): The FBI is the federal-level counterpart providing criminal investigations, forensic services, fingerprint identification (IAFIS/NGI), and criminal justice information systems. CBI frequently partners with the FBI on task forces and adopts FBI Quality Assurance Standards, making it the closest federal analog and the ultimate structural benchmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CBI_Colorado
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoradoBureauofInvestigation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-bureau-of-investigation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Bureau of Investigation