Local News – The Durango Herald

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Another construction project on Florida Road adds to traffic delays

Maintenance hole installation on arterial road expected to take two weeks

DATE: Jul 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Vintage bike aficionados take pride in quality, craftsmanship of decades-old rides

Event featured cycles from multiple generations and an array of styles

DATE: Jul 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Federal grant to help Durango replace broken buses, pay for transit stop improvements

City awarded $659,089 to be administered by Colorado Department of Transportation

DATE: Jul 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Miller Middle School students to begin year in temporary location

Last month’s fire delayed completion of new building, according to 9-R

DATE: Jul 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

La Plata County Search and Rescue raising funds for new radios

Nashville Songs and Stories concert proceeds to help benefit organization

DATE: Jul 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

La Plata County residents react to Biden dropping out of presidential race

People question Democrats’ chances of winning, the two-party system and Biden’s legacy

DATE: Jul 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Two charged with firearm-related felonies near Silverton over July 4 weekend

A father left a minor with a handgun; another man brandished a firearm during a gas station disagreement

DATE: Jul 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Boebert joins other House members in grilling Secret Service director

Congresswoman calls on Cheatle’s resignation: ‘You need to be fired’

DATE: Jul 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

‘A decent summer’ underway for Durango-Silverton tourism economy

Pandemic-era rapid growth is starting to decrease, business and travel experts say

DATE: Jul 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Sunday rainstorms in Durango cause mudslide

Moisture expected to stay in Southwest Colorado throughout the week

DATE: Jul 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango school district reopens Miller Middle School bike trail

Concerns over bike access causes 9-R to reverse its decision to close all trails at the school

DATE: Jul 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango makes pitch for sales tax renewal by touting past achievements in parks and rec

Reauthorization would help expedite long list of proposed improvements

DATE: Jul 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Photos: Parade launches 2024 Connie Mack World Series in FarmingtonFans line street as players march on Main Damp, overcast weather cooled off the crowd lining Main Street on Friday morning for the 2024 Connie Mack World Series Parade. The hourlong parade began shortly after 10 a.m. in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Fans line street as players march on Main

Photos: ‘Mini Takes the States’ tour stops in DurangoHundreds of Mini Cooper vehicles occupy Fort Lewis College on Sunday; Participants began the journey in Albuquerque and will finish in Seattle

Hundreds of Mini Cooper vehicles occupy Fort Lewis College on Sunday; Participants began the journey in Albuquerque and will finish in Seattle

Photos: Boxing returns to DurangoAnimus on the Animas: 1st Annual Durango Boxing Classic at the Durango Main Mall on Saturday

Animus on the Animas: 1st Annual Durango Boxing Classic at the Durango Main Mall on Saturday

Photos and video: Going for the gold by devouring piesContestants try their best to win the Oscar’s Pie Eating Contest on Friday in Durango

Contestants try their best to win the Oscar’s Pie Eating Contest on Friday in Durango

Photo: Fireworks light the sky in DurangoDurango celebrates Independence Day on Thursday night

Durango celebrates Independence Day on Thursday night

Photos: Working with woodLocal craftsman uses wood joinery, rather than nails or screws to construct homes and other structures

Local craftsman uses wood joinery, rather than nails or screws to construct homes and other structures

2024 Fourth of July Parade draws crowd Thursday in downtown Durango

Photos: Downtown Durango hosts Fourth of July ParadeDowntown sidewalks were full for Thursday’s celebration

Downtown sidewalks were full for Thursday’s celebration

Durango Rotary Club, Parks and Recreation department host Independence Day events

Law enforcement conducts active threat training at Park Elementary SchoolResidents may see and hear police activity Thursday and Friday

Law enforcement agencies across Southwest Colorado sent officers to participate in active threat training this week at Park Elementary School in Durango. Those in the neighborhood can expect police vehicles parked on the premises, officers in tactical gear conducting exercises inside and outside the school, and signs advising that training is in progress. The sounds of shouting, airsoft weapons and the popping of a starter pistol will also be audible near the school, said Karla Sluis, spokeswoman for Durango School District 9-R.Sluis said that members of the school district’s safety department have gone door-to-door with flyers notifying residents around Park Elementary School about the training.

Hosted by the Durango Police Department and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, this week’s voluntary training invited officers from law enforcement agencies across a five-county region of Southwest Colorado encompassing La Plata, Archuleta, San Juan, Montezuma and Dolores counties.

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office deputy Durango Police Department Deputy Mike Latham, lead instructor for this week's training, said Wednesday and the first half of Thursday were mostly preparatory, teaching officers the school’s layout and devising scenarios, whereas the latter half of Thursday and Friday residents should anticipate some noise as active threat scenarios play out.

Latham said active threat training teaches officers proper protocol during active threat scenarios, especially in densely populated areas where they have become increasingly common.Park Elementary School is not the only Durango School District facility law enforcement has conducted active threat training. Latham said schools lend themselves well to this sort of training because, “It gives us all kinds of doors to work on, different rooms, different scenarios we can run. We can pretend it’s a mall with nice big corridors, we can even pretend it’s an outdoor area in the gymnasium.”Latham has participated in active threat training multiple times in the past and described the drills as exhilarating and nerve-wracking. He said one of the training’s main goals is teaching officers how to manage stress and remain calm with lives on the line.

“I take a pulse oximeter in the morning and get a baseline on their heart rates,” Latham said. “And sometimes, just before they’re about to engage a threat, I say ‘Timeout.’ Put it (the oximeter) on there, and their heart rate’s skyrocketed to 140, 150, 160 just in training.”

Latham said throughout his career active threat training has evolved to become safer for officers and fall in line with increasingly professional police standards.“When I first started we were just running into halls and rooms hoping for the best,” Latham said. “Now the tactic is still to get there, still stop the taking of lives, but tactics are much better than they were 20 years ago.”

Residents may see and hear police activity Thursday and Friday

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