House panel OKs registry requirement of Colorado private investigators

By Kurtis Lee
The Denver Post

If Coloradans need a private investigator to spy on a cheating spouse or help recover stolen property, it's likely the individual is not registered to do the job.

That's because the state is one of a handful that do not require investigators be registered, though this could change as a measure ensuring regulation must occur makes its way through the legislature.

Opponents, including Colorado's Society of Private Investigators, say regulation is not needed and would be a burden.

"By making this a requirement, we're going to protect people and generate jobs in Colorado," said Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, the House's prime sponsor of the bill, which Thursday passed through the House Business, Labor and Economic


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committee on a party-line vote.
Melton stressed the measure has three objectives: providing consumer protection from scam artists, ensuring public safety by requiring background checks for investigators, and retaining jobs in Colorado. He said 44 other states regulate private investigators.

Senate Bill 259 requires all private investigators to register with the Department of Regulatory Agencies. Already in Colorado, private investigators can voluntarily register with the state. Economic analysts say the bill is designed to have registration fees cover the cost of bills' implementation.

Dan Anglin, chief lobbyist for the Colorado Society of Private Investigators, said the organization had little input into crafting the bill. He called the measure duplicative and futile.

"The bill would require everyone to have a fingerprint-based background check. Well, that's already required for concealed-carry weapons permits," Anglin said, noting that many private investigators carry firearms.

Anglin on Thursday was among about a dozen opponents to the measure who testified against the bill being heard before the House Business committee.

Proponents, however, argued a registry would weed out bad investigators. "The state has become a dumping ground of private investigators," said Ellis Armistead, president of Heartland Investigative Group based in Denver. "There's convicts, sexual offenders out there acting as private investigators."