With over 33 years of dedicated public safety service, Captain Jason Kennedy currently serves as the Patrol Division Commander for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout his career, he has held key positions across various divisions, consistently demonstrating leadership, investigative expertise, and a commitment to advancing law enforcement operations.

Kennedy began his career in 1992 as a Detentions Deputy at the former jail facility in Castle Rock. He transferred to the Patrol Division in 1993, and then to the Investigations Division in 1996. There, he was promoted to Corporal, leading several high-profile investigations to include homicide investigations. His role as the Intelligence Officer and his passion for leadership earned him a promotion to Sergeant in 1999. As a Sergeant, he continued to develop his operational and management skills in both the Patrol Division and the Investigations Division.

In 2003, Kennedy was promoted to Lieutenant and took command of the Special Investigations Section (SIS). In 2005, he was appointed Commander of the South Metro Drug Task Force, overseeing narcotics enforcement across fourteen jurisdictions in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert Counties. He managed undercover operations, grants and other funding sources, coordinated multi-jurisdictional efforts, led community education initiatives, and reported directly to the Chair of the Board, the Arapahoe County Sheriff.

Kennedy returned to the Sheriff’s Office in 2008 as the Commander of the Office of Professional Standards. He was responsible for overseeing critical functions of internal affairs, hiring, training, human resources, and accreditation, ultimately ensuring the department maintained its high standards of excellence.

In 2010, Kennedy was promoted to Captain and assumed command of the Detentions Division. During this assignment, the Detentions Division achieved significant milestones, including its first-ever American Correctional Association (ACA) Accreditation and a National Correctional Health Care Certification (NCHCC) award. Kennedy also played a key role in the space and needs assessment for the Justice Center, which led to the modernization of the facility and improved booking efficiencies, ADA compliance, and the care of inmates with mental health needs.

Kennedy returned to the Investigations Division as its Commander in 2013, further pursuing his passion for investigative work. He also co-commanded the Douglas County Regional SWAT Team from 2012 to 2016. In 2016, Kennedy had the honor of attending the 10-week residential study program with other law enforcement managers from around the world at the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

From 2016 to 2019, Kennedy served as the Deputy Director of Human Resources for the Douglas County Government, where he managed employee affairs for over 1,200 county employees. When he returned to the Sheriff’s Office in 2019 as the Commander of Professional Standards, he was responsible for overseeing hiring, employee wellness, training, accreditation (Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies and ACA), internal affairs, the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Academy (POST Academy), and the Emergency Vehicle Operations Center (EVOC). He is also deeply committed to officer wellness and has been actively involved in the office’s wellness program since 2018. He regularly presents at Crisis Response Team (CRT) certification courses on officer suicide, sharing personal experiences to raise awareness.

As of late 2024, Kennedy has been the Commander of the Patrol Division, and is responsible for all uniformed Patrol operations and ensuring the Sheriff’s Office continues to provide exceptional public safety and service to the community. He has also been active in the community with past service on the Arapahoe County Community Corrections Board and the Board of Directors for Arapahoe Douglas Mental Health Network, highlighting his commitment to improving both public safety and mental health services for the community at large.

Kennedy is committed to ongoing leadership development, as highlighted by several prestigious programs to include the Leadership Program of Rockies (Class of 2024), the FBI National Academy (Session #263), and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. He is currently pursuing and is nearing completion of a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Colorado State University Global.

Education & Training:

• Leadership Program of Rockies (2024) – Denver, CO
• FBI National Academy (2016) – Session #263, University of Virginia, Quantico, VA
• Northwestern University, School of Police Staff and Command (2012) – Session #375, Golden, CO
• Arapahoe Community College (2006) – Associate Degree of Applied Science, Criminal Justice
• Drug Enforcement Administration, Drug Unit Commander’s Academy (2005) – National Session #52, Quantico, VA
• County Sheriffs of Colorado, Law Enforcement Command and Management School (2004) – Lakewood, CO