Chief's Biography

Colonel James M. Wolfinbarger Biography

Chief James M. Wolfinbarger grew up in west Denver where he graduated from Green Mountain High School in 1988. He then attended and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado earning a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Language Pathology. He is married and has two children.

A 16- year veteran of the Colorado State Patrol, Chief Wolfinbarger joined the Patrol in 1995. He served throughout the Denver metro area and western slope before becoming a commissioned officer and rising through the ranks to become Chief. After graduating from the academy, he was assigned to the Adams County Troop (1-D) in north Denver. In 1997, he was assigned to the District One office as a Community Resource Officers (CRO) before returning to Troop 1-D as a Corporal in November 1998. In May 1999 he promoted to the rank of Sergeant and was assigned to the Grand Junction Troop (4-A), promoting again in July 2001 to the rank of Captain and assigned to the Public Affairs Section at Denver Headquarters. In January 2004, he promoted to the rank of Major and led the Patrol in the areas of Homeland Security, Training, Motor Carrier Safety, Hazardous Materials, Criminal Investigations, Aircraft, Motorcycle Operations, Victim’s Assistance Unit, Public Affairs and Information Technology. In December 2007, he promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, assigned to Headquarters as the Southern Region Commander of Field Operations, and on February 27, 2009 he was promoted and became the 7^th Chief (Colonel) of the Colorado State Patrol.

 Chief Wolfinbarger is a graduate of the 225^th Session of the FBI National Academy, the 33^rd Session of the FBI National Executive Institute, and the 176^th Session of Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Chief Wolfinbarger has attended the Anti-Defamation League National Counter-Terrorism Seminar in Israel, as well as the Anti-Defamation League Advanced Training School (ATS) in Washington D.C. He has also served as a board member for the Colorado Regional Community Policing Institute (CRCPI) from 2004-2006, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Brain Injury Association of Colorado (BIAC) from 2003-2006. In addition, the Chief is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, County Sheriffs of Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates.

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