Founded in 1980, The Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation (CSPFF) supports the mission of the Colorado State Patrol (CSP). The foundation saves and enhances lives by sharing information and resources with CSP members, their families, and the general public. We find out more about the work of the CSPFF with foundation representative, Jared Andrews.
Safe roadways are the responsibility of everyone, and the more of us that invest in making our roadways less aggressive and healthier places, the better they will be – for everyone. In Colorado, The Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation works to improve driving behaviors and provide a safe environment for all.
The foundation began by supporting the families of fallen CSP officers and providing financial help to officers and their loved ones in times of struggle. Today, the CSPFF also provides opportunities to access higher education through its annual scholarship program as well as a series of defensive driving programs. (Our base is in the US, so please use US spelling).
We ask Jared to tell us more. He says, “Through the efforts of our committed leadership, partnerships, and staff, we’re able to work to ease times of unexpected hardship. By supporting injured or fallen officers and their families, furthering their higher education, and engaging and developing new programmes, we enhance the CSP’s commitment to public safety. By providing the general public with information, education, and technology, we’re able to promote a safer transportation system for us all.”
The state-wide ‘Alive at 25’ program is only one of the defensive driving programs administered by the CSPFF. Aimed at young drivers from ages 15 to 24, the program increases awareness, encourages safe driving practices, and promotes safer roadways for all.
The foundation focuses on being available and informative for all its clients. Jared explains, “Our clients often have questions that need prompt responses. We strive to provide them with accurate information as soon as possible. If an enquiry is urgent, we make sure we treat it as so. We have many years of experience and that enables us to understand what works and what doesn’t. Not everything flows smoothly upon initial implementation, but we persevere to get to where we want to be. Most importantly, we don’t remain stagnant. We always seek feedback and look for opportunities to improve.”
The executive director of the foundation is John Anderson. Jared tells us more about working with John and the culture at CSPFF, “John drives our culture. He makes concerted efforts to make us feel like a family. It’s not all work talk. We discuss our weekends and our families. John encourages us to put our families first. Sure, we work hard, we understand the importance of our work, and we ensure we complete all essential tasks. But we maintain an appropriate work-life balance. We don’t stress, and we know when to accept the end of the workday. John also has a remarkable knack for making us feel supported and empowered. He offers assistance without ever making us feel micromanaged. We trust each other.”
Most of the tight-knit team at CSPFF has been with the foundation for many years and the service they provide has gained a reputation for integrity and reliability. So, looking to the future, does CSPFF have any plans to share with us?
Jared says, “We’d like to continue our steady growth and ensure that we have the funds to offer support to as many Colorado State Patrol officers as possible. We want to increase the number of defensive driving instructors in our Colorado program by 50% by the end of 2023. This will allow us to provide classroom learning opportunities in more areas across the state and educate more young drivers.”
Although headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, the CSPFF offers in-person defensive driving courses in other states including Kentucky, Wyoming, Idaho, and Texas, and online offerings in both California and Maine.
To find out more about The Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation or to make a donation, please visit the foundation’s website.
For business enquiries, contact Jared Andrews from Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation on their website – https://www.cspff.net/
