Chief Adrian Vasquez
Chief Adrian Vasquez joined the Colorado Springs Police Department in 1995, after serving in the United States Air Force, as a Security Police Officer, for 9 ½ years. After joining CSPD, he served as a patrol officer in the Sand Creek Division before transferring to the Metro, Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence (Metro VNI) Division in 1998. While with Metro VNI, he was a street team detective, a K-9 handler and a task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He was promoted to Sergeant in 2003 where he served in Patrol, Metro VNI, and the DEA Task Force. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2011, where he served in Patrol before transferring to the Violent Crimes Section, where he oversaw the Homicide, Assault, Robbery and Victim Advocacy Units.
He was promoted to the rank of Commander in 2016 when he was assigned to the Stetson Hills Division. In 2017, he was transferred to the Specialized Enforcement Division where he oversaw the Tactical Operations Section, Patrol Support Section and Protective Security Section. In April of 2019, he was promoted to Deputy Chief where he had oversight of the Patrol Operations Bureau and then the Operations Support Bureau. He was appointed as the Chief of Police in April of 2022.
Chief Vasquez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Colorado State University and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership, the FBI National Academy (Session 267), and the FBI National Executive Institute (Session 46).
Chief's Principles
- Responsive: “To the needs of our citizens and internal customers and treat people well. Concentrate on what we can do and work to solve problems that our community cares about. The simplest of courtesies goes a long way.”
- Excellence: “This requires personal accountability for the work you do each day. To achieve organizational excellence, we should maintain the highest level of professional standards in all areas while striving to implement identified best practices in policing.”
- Humility: “Putting others before self. Remember we derive our powers from the citizens we serve. When we perform our duties with humility, we are approachable, respectful and compassionate.”
- Honor: “The adherence to high moral principles with the absence of deceit; conforming to what is considered morally right; resist being improperly influenced by others.”