Definition:

(1) “Commissioned officer” means an agent of the Bureau of Animal Protection approved by the Agricultural Commission.

1. Commissioned Officers of the Bureau of Animal Protection shall inform the Commissioner of Agriculture or his agent before impounding livestock or posting bond for any animal(s) under C.R.S. 35-42-101 through C.R.S. 35-42-114 or 18-9-202.5 respectively.

2. In addition to the applicable requirements set forth in § 35-42-107, C.R.S. (2002), each applicant shall satisfy the following requirements, unless the Commissioner determines that an applicant's experience and training constitute equivalent qualification for a commission:

A) 8 hours training and/or classes in legal authority for animal cruelty investigations;

B) 10 hours animal care and control skills;

C) 3 hours occupational safety (zoonotic diseases, human and animal first aid etc.);

D) 5 hours interpersonal communication skills and creative conflict resolution;

E) 8 hours equine husbandry including Henneke body condition scoring;

F) 1 year experience in law enforcement, animal care and control or animal husbandry; and G) 30 hours of continued education and training shall be completed every 3 years.

H) All training courses must be approved by the Commissioner prior to training.

3. The Commissioner may require any Bureau Commissioned Officer to complete continuing education classes, or may suspend or revoke the officer's commission. STATEMENT OF BASIS AND PURPOSE The Colorado State Agricultural Commission adopts these rules pursuant to Section C.R.S. 35-42-106. The purpose of rule 1 is to inform the State Veterinarian's Office before any animal is impounded, and to protect the owner from having his animal(s) unnecessarily impounded, or to require an owner to post bond for an unnecessary impoundment. The purpose of rule 2 is to have minimum education/experience requirements for BAP commission applicants.

The purpose of rule 3 is to provide choices in disciplinary action, other than commission revocation, for any problem that may arise regarding legal authority.