The Colorado Mounted Rangers™ have a long history of service to Colorado. Originally formed in 1859 as the Jefferson Rangers to keep peace in the Colorado Territory, they have been called upon by the state’s Governors to protect the state during the mining strikes and the Prohibition period.

In 1861, they were reorganized as the Colorado Rangers™ and served as the only state law enforcement agency until 1923.

On January 29th, 1923 Governor William Sweet gave an executive order to disband the Rangers as a result of a campaign promise to organized labor. The Colorado Rangers™, a state police organization, was abolished leaving Colorado without statewide police protection until 1935 when the Colorado Highway Courtesy Patrol was formed, which later evolved into the Colorado State Patrol.

On February 21st, 1941, Governor Teller Ammons re-organized the Colorado Mounted Rangers™ as a volunteer group with a single troop in Bailey and a Certificate of Incorporation was issued.

In 1955, The Colorado Mounted Rangers™ changed their Constitution to form a Squadron of several troops throughout the state.

In 1999, Ranger Edward P. Bell was honored by inclusion in the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial. Ranger Bell was killed in the line of duty on October 14th, 1922. Rangers Edward Bell and George Jennings, from the Limon Ranger District, responded to an anonymous call for help to prevent a filling station robbery and were found a short time later lying beside the road in a mangled condition. They were given emergency treatment in Limon and and taken to St. Lukes Hospital in Denver. On October 16, Ranger Edward P. Bell died without regaining consciousness following surgery to remove a blood clot from the brain.

Today, the Colorado Mounted Rangers™  of Troop I assist local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies by providing security in emergency situations such as airline disasters, search and rescue operations, and forest fires; or as needed.

The Colorado Mounted Rangers™ have assisted in natural disasters such as the Big Thompson Flood, the Black Ridge Fire, and the Haymen Fire.

The Colorado Mounted Rangers™ have volunteered over 10,000 hours of devoted service to the people of Colorado over the past few years.