24-31-302. Creation of board

24-31-302. Creation of board. (1) There is hereby created, within the department of law, the peace officers standards and training board, referred to in this part 3 as the "P.O.S.T. board".

(2) The P.O.S.T. board is a type 2 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercises its powers and performs its duties and functions under the department of law.

(3) (a) The P.O.S.T. board consists of twenty-four members. The chair of the P.O.S.T. board is the attorney general, and the board shall annually elect from its members a vice-chair. The other members shall be:

(I) The special agent in charge of the Denver division of the federal bureau of investigation;

(II) The executive director of the department of public safety or the executive director's designee;

(III) The following members appointed by the governor for terms of three years:

(A) One local government representative;

(B) Six active chiefs of police from municipalities of this state or state institutions of higher education;

(C) Six active sheriffs from counties of this state;

(D) Three active peace officers with a rank of sergeant or below; and

(E) Five non-law enforcement members. The non-law enforcement members shall complete a citizens' law enforcement academy prior to appointment or within one year after appointment.

(b) If any chief of police, sheriff, peace officer, non-law enforcement member, or local government representative vacates such office during the term for which the member was appointed to the P.O.S.T. board, a vacancy on the board exists. Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired term.

(c) In order to create a diversified board, the governor shall consider an applicant's age, gender, race, professional experience, and geographic location when making appointments to the board.

(d) In order to create diversified subject matter expertise committees, the chair of the P.O.S.T. board shall consider an applicant's age, gender, race, professional experience, and geographic location when making appointments to the committees.

(4) The members of the P.O.S.T. board shall receive no compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.