Associated Press - The Durango Herald

Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — At 16, Edward Blackmon Jr. was arrested during a protest for voting rights in his Mississippi hometown. He was loaded with schoolmates into a truck once used to haul ch...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Humpback whale 'Timmy' released in the North Sea after weeks stranded off Germany

BERLIN (AP) — A rescue team on Saturday released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknam...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Trump likes the idea of the government owning some US companies but took a pass on Spirit Airlines

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump had no qualms about a government takeover of Spirit Airlines, so long as the terms could be portrayed as a financial victory in what would have been ...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

A bright moon may dim the Eta Aquarid meteor shower made up of Halley's comet debris

NEW YORK (AP) — The Eta Aquarid meteor shower soon will light the sky with debris from Halley's comet. But a bright moon will spoil the fun this year, making the display harder to glimpse. T...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Starmer urges tougher action against Gaza protests in UK following antisemitic attacks

LONDON (AP) — Britain's prime minister warned Saturday that tougher action was needed against people chanting certain phrases at pro-Palestinian protests, as concerns grew over the safety of...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Spirit Airlines says it’s going out of business after 34 years and is ending operations immediately

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Spirit Airlines, an impish upstart that shook the industry with its irreverent ads and deep discount fares, announced Saturday that it has gone out of business a...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months, fulfilling Trump's threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump's threat as he cla...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Avalanche and Wild square off to start the second round

Minnesota Wild (46-24-12, in the Central Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division) Denver; Sunday, 9 p.m. EDT LINE: Avalanche -187, Wild +154; over/under is 5.5 NH...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Braves bring road win streak into game against the Rockies

Atlanta Braves (23-10, first in the NL East) vs. Colorado Rockies (14-19, fourth in the NL West) Denver; Saturday, 8:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Chris Sale (5-1, 2.31 ERA, 0.91 W...

DATE: May 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

The NHL playoffs feature a bunch of new blood in the second round, from Philadelphia to Anaheim

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are full of new blood, and so far three teams have advanced to the second round after not even making the postseason last year. Buffalo, Colorado, Minnesota, Philade...

DATE: May 1, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Redistricting battle intensifies in states after US Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act

A Supreme Court decision striking down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana has amplified an already intense national redistricting battle by providing Republican officials i...

DATE: May 1, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Takeaways from AP report on Trump administration's defiance of lower court orders

Federal judges around the country have raised alarms in recent months about the Trump administration's failure to follow their orders in individual immigration cases. An Associated Press re...

DATE: May 1, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Photos: Iron Horse Bicycle Classic mountain bike racesPlenty of spectators packed Steamworks Brewing Company on Sunday

Plenty of spectators packed Steamworks Brewing Company on Sunday

Photos: Iron Horse Bicycle Classic pro road racesCyclists had beautiful day to ride into Silverton on Saturday

Cyclists had beautiful day to ride into Silverton on Saturday

Photos: Durango High School graduation ceremony

Photos: Durango Big Picture High School graduates receive diplomas

Durango police chief says technology name of game in modern policingAI bodycams, first responder drones and more in store for DPD

Artificial intelligence, drone first responders and body cameras that can translate 50 languages aren’t far-flung concepts of some opaque Hollywood future anymore. Even in Durango, they are becoming staples of modern policing.Durango Police Department is embracing technological advancements in what Police Chief Brice Current described to city councilors earlier this year as a “cautious” yet “progressive” approach.Since at least April, Current has stressed how DPD’s top priority with new technology is reinforcing public safety. Since at least April, Current has attended various community meetings about new technology the police department is adopting, where he’s stressed how DPD’s top priority with new technology is to reinforce public safety. He has also addressed residents’ concerns about how powerful some new technologies, including Flock Safety and other automated license plate reader cameras, have become – an ongoing conversation between DPD, the city and advocates for tighter automated license plate reader regulations in Durango.At a Kiwanis Club of Durango meeting last month, for example, Current addressed Flock cameras and drones, and also the importance of trust and accountability for law enforcement.“It is healthy for the public – if we’re going to be one Durango and we’re going to work together – to question government. I question government,” he said.

Current said accountability for officers and third-party technology services is necessary, and that requires education and transparency.Evoking laughter, Current showed a video clip of a drone launching a net at a person.“It requires no training, no policy, and there’s no way we’re ever going to use this,” he said. “There’s lots of other technology out there that is really cool, but just doesn’t fit in Durango right now.”Grappler systems that cast nets to trap a car’s tires are no longer gadgets used only by Batman in films and comic books. Current said Castle Rock uses just such a system. But they aren’t a good fit for Durango.“Those are great tools, don’t get me wrong, but there’s some – like facial recognition, some other things – that just aren’t going to fit in this community and shouldn’t fit here for a long time,” he said.New technologies at DPDDraft One AI Reporting by Axon is an audio transcription service that can identify multiple people in a body camera recording and produce a police report based on what is captured.Current said he held off on trying a demo of Draft One for a long time, because although DPD has used transcription services for years, he didn’t feel comfortable bringing an AI-generated police report to court.But AI transcription technology has come a long way, he said.“This system can take five different people or more at a time and assign who they are and transcribe what they’re saying in the report,” he said.Another benefit, he said, is it trains officers to speak into their body cameras more regularly to record what they are thinking and observing. That helps the veracity of officers’ testimony in court.“When you’re pulling a vehicle over, you used to say in court, ‘(The suspect is) reaching under the seat. I saw him doing some stuff that made me feel nervous.’ And the jury’s like, ‘Hmm, you’re saying that now because you found 2 pounds of dope in his car. But is that really what you’re thinking?’” Current said.Now, officers speak directly into their body cameras to capture not just what the body camera sees but what they are thinking and how they are processing a situation as it unfolds.“‘I’m feeling pretty nervous right now. He keeps reaching under his car (seat).’ They’re talking to their camera. ‘He’s waited two blocks to turn to pull over. That’s odd,’ ... It’s teaching the officer to talk more about what they’re feeling in the reports,” he said.DPD is using Draft One transcripts in misdemeanor cases, although it hasn’t begun using them in felony cases, Current said. But he is confident it will start using them in felony cases soon.The police department’s body cameras are now able to livestream video to the police station and 911 dispatchers at the Durango Emergency Communications Center, allowing first responder agencies to monitor situations in real time.Current said DPD is looking into getting language translation capabilities in 50 different languages for body cameras, but that feature comes with a higher price tag and the police department is waiting on grant funding to make a move.DPD is also implementing AI software into its internal systems to quickly search statutes to determine what charges might best match a situation, to flag internal affairs reviews if officer misconduct is detected in video footage, and more.

By now, residents may have noticed one or both of the drone first responders DPD deployed this year to survey incidents faster than officers can reasonably be expected to arrive on scene.Police used a drone last month to locate a missing boy near the Animas River. The drone deployed from Durango Fire Protection District Station No. 1 downtown and arrived in the general area the boy was last seen – behind the Durango Mall – in just a few minutes.Police also deployed a drone last week to the scene of a fatal shooting near Durango Skate Park.Within two minutes of the shooting, police launched a drone and got an aerial view of the scene “within seconds” of it being launched, according to a DPD news release.A second drone was launched a minute later.“The Durango Police Department’s Drone as First Responder system arrived above the scene before officers,” the release said. “The drone operator was able to see that there was no further gunfire taking place as officers approached the area. This technology provided officers with real-time information and helped them arrive with a stronger understanding of what was happening on scene.”The two drones operate on about a 2-mile radius with flight times of about 40 minutes.

‘We’ve learned to vet them’DPD and the city began to face harsher scrutiny from residents last year after members of DeFlock Durango performed records requests for Flock audits that revealed vehicle and license plate data was appearing in searches by law enforcement agencies across the country that have 287(g) cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.Flock Safety has faced pushback from communities around the country for what some opponents of ALPRs call a mass surveillance system of Orwellian proportions. Critics have bashed Flock for providing data to federal law enforcement, for questionable privacy policies when it comes to captured data and for a lack of oversight on how police departments use data.

Current has repeatedly insisted Flock cameras do not constitute “mass surveillance,” although he has acknowledged privacy and abuse of power concerns.He said things are changing for the better with Flock after it faced backlash for working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.He said DPD has always dealt with third-party technology services, and over time it’s leaned to vet companies it partners with.When legislation required police to start wearing bodycams, police had issues with camera companies not storing data as required by law.“Do we trust these groups? Well, we've learned to vet them,” he said.cburney@durangoherald.com

AI bodycams, first responder drones and more in store for DPD

Photos: Fort Lewis College commencement ceremony

Photos: Ron Keller Invitational track meetDemons win home meet against local schools on Saturday

Demons win home meet against local schools on Saturday

Photos: Ben Nighthorse Campbell memorial

Photos/video: Scrambling for eggs

Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling

Humpback whale 'Timmy' released in the North Sea after weeks stranded off Germany

Trump likes the idea of the government owning some US companies but took a pass on Spirit Airlines

A bright moon may dim the Eta Aquarid meteor shower made up of Halley's comet debris

Starmer urges tougher action against Gaza protests in UK following antisemitic attacks

Spirit Airlines says it’s going out of business after 34 years and is ending operations immediately

US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months, fulfilling Trump's threat

Avalanche and Wild square off to start the second round

Braves bring road win streak into game against the Rockies

The NHL playoffs feature a bunch of new blood in the second round, from Philadelphia to Anaheim

Redistricting battle intensifies in states after US Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act

Takeaways from AP report on Trump administration's defiance of lower court orders

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