History

The University of Colorado Medical Center (UCMC) opened in 1924 at East 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Denver, Colorado. The original campus had four buildings with no formal security department. Eventually the campus would employ a night watchman who would secure rooms and buildings and keep an eye on the campus overnight. Following a major expansion in 1964, UCMC created a round-the-clock Security Department. The new Security Department consisted of approximately 12 men. The security officers were unarmed and communicated using World War II surplus radios. The Security Department operated out of a small room in the basement of the Research Building.

The Security Department transitioned into a commissioned police agency in 1972, and Officers attended the Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy (CLETA) in Golden, Colorado. In 1993, increased fears over gang violence prompted the University’s Hospital to install a metal detector at the entrance to the Emergency Department. The Police Department again experienced large expansion; hiring additional security guards to staff the metal detector and police officers to staff the emergency room 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

In 1995, the University acquired land from the Federal Government at the old Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. The University began a 10 year move to the new location, now known as the Anschutz Medical Campus. During this time the Police Department increased staffing to ensure adequate staffing on both campuses. All Police Department administrative operations moved to the Anschutz Medical Campus in 2004.  The Police Department was "temporarily" located in Building 407, originally constructed as an Army barrack in 1936. 

The Anschutz Medical Campus now encompasses 271 acres with two major hospitals (University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado) with plans for further expansion in the coming years. The Anschutz Medical Campus integrates world-class education, research and patient care including professional programs in medicine, dental medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health as well as three research towers. Our campus community of students, faculty, and staff add up to a population of 25,000 – 30,000, in addition to 1.5 M patient visits annually to the two hospitals located on campus.

As the Anschutz Medical Campus and policing needs continued to grow, it was clear the Police Department needed to move from their "temporary" building to a larger and more modern facility.  In October 2021, ground was broken on a new building.  To embrace more sustainable practices, the new building incorporates the infrastructure of an existing building previously used as a vivarium by the military.  The original structure was completely renovated down to the bricks.  The building was greatly expanded, and a second story was added.  Finally in April 2023 the Police Department moved to the first net-zero building in the CU system.  The new Campus Safety and Security Building is located at 13309 E. 17th Place.