I got an email last week from a Deputy Sheriff in the Denver Metro Area. He is in charge of the CCW program at his particular Sheriff's Department. He asked that I pass on some information to whoever wanted to listen.
The Colorado Sheriff's Association (CSOC) has begun to routinely audit CCW permit applications for the validity of training credentials. They have found that there are numerous schools and or instructors out there that are not "valid." That is to say, they have not bee certified as an instructor by an approved training provider, and or, their instructor certification was expired at the time they taught the class.
If the instructor is not certified by a provider recognized by the state, or his instructor certification was expired or invalid for some reason, then the Sheriff will not approve your application for a CCW. Apparently there is now a move within CSOC to legislate a fix for this. This will probably mean that in the future to teach a CCW class you will need to be approved by the state, or certified by the state in some manner or fashion. Much like Arizona and Utah do now.
In the meantime, if you take a CCW class, please verify that your instructor is who he says he is, and that his teaching credentials are valid. If not then you may have wasted a lot of time and money.