State elections - The Durango Herald

League of Women Voters to host screenings of ‘Undivide Us’ ahead of June primary elections

Film explores how Americans can unite despite political differences

DATE: Jun 16, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Coloradans want politicians to do something about cost of living

Residents from every political party, every region and just about every age group are feeling pressure from the economy

DATE: Jun 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Polis signs bill that thwarts statewide ranked choice voting

Governor faced pressure to veto the bill after last-minute provisions were added

DATE: Jun 7, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

What do voters want candidates to focus on this election?

Survey respondents express frustration with polarization and attack politics

DATE: Jun 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Ballots to hit mailboxes this week in La Plata County

Primary voters can weigh in on Lauren Boebert’s replacement, board of education

DATE: Jun 3, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

If voters adopt ranked choice voting, Colorado may prevent it from taking effect

Last-minute provisions added to an elections bill would create a major barrier

DATE: May 31, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

CU Board of Regents candidate withdraws

Kristine Sposato was one of two candidates seeking Republican nomination

DATE: May 30, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Party representatives put election equipment to the test ahead of June 25 primary

La Plata County Logic and Accuracy test found machines compliant

DATE: May 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado voters will decide whether to protect abortion access in state Constitution

Initiative 89 would also lift ban on state dollars being used to pay for abortions

DATE: May 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Effort to protect same-sex marriage at the polls kicks off in Colorado

State Constitution still defines marriage as being between a man and a woman

DATE: May 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado voters to decide whether first-degree murder suspects should be denied bail

Ballot measures requires support from 55% of voters to pass in November

DATE: Mar 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

La Plata County Democrats hold caucus and assembly on Saturday

6th Judicial District Attorney candidate Sean Murray beats competition for majority of delegates ahead of June primary

DATE: Mar 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

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Photos: Yards of beauty

Photos: Mancos BurroFest

Photos: Battle of the Animas

Photos: Animas River Days

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

League of Women Voters to host screenings of ‘Undivide Us’ ahead of June primary elections

Coloradans want politicians to do something about cost of living

Polis signs bill that thwarts statewide ranked choice voting

What do voters want candidates to focus on this election?

Ballots to hit mailboxes this week in La Plata County

If voters adopt ranked choice voting, Colorado may prevent it from taking effect

CU Board of Regents candidate withdraws

Party representatives put election equipment to the test ahead of June 25 primary

Colorado voters will decide whether to protect abortion access in state Constitution

Effort to protect same-sex marriage at the polls kicks off in Colorado

Colorado voters to decide whether first-degree murder suspects should be denied bail

La Plata County Democrats hold caucus and assembly on Saturday

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