The Colorado Association of Robbery Investigators (CARI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was originally formed in 1971 as the Metro Denver Robbery Intelligence Group to promote better communications among metro area robbery details and began meeting monthly to exchange offense, pattern and suspect information. In 1988 the organization’s name was changed to its current name in an effort to spread membership statewide.
CARI has grown to include members from all Metro Denver law enforcement agencies, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Division of Parole. Private security representatives from banks, jewelers, armored truck companies, grocery stores, fast food restaurants and convenience stores have come on board, increasing the reach and resources of each individual investigator as well as fostering better cooperation with the private sector.
The annual National Robbery Conference (formerly the Western Robbery Conference) now includes representatives from agencies throughout the United States as well as Canada and Australia. The conference is instrumental in building the necessary cross-jurisdictional camaraderie needed to investigate suspects that travel not only from city to city but from state to state, as well as providing attendees with new investigative techniques, strategies, legal updates, major case analysis and information on current robbery patterns.
CARI is a non-profit organization and does not charge members annual dues to fund its operation. CARI’s only sources of income are conference registration fees and donations from private sponsors. Board members and conference organizers are NOT compensated.