Television - The Durango Herald

How did Rashad Jennings win ‘Dancing with the Stars’? It’s still an athlete’s show

NFL running back Rashad Jennings won Season 24 of “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday night, a well-deserved victory after a season of high scores and fan-favorite dances. “I don’...

DATE: May 24, 2017 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

‘Game of Thrones’ might spawn new HBO shows, says creator

NEW YORK – HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is in its home stretch. But the game isn’t over for its creator, George R.R. Martin, who is in the thick of planning for potential new series on the networ...

DATE: May 21, 2017 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

‘Twin Peaks’ in a time of peak weirdness

Last we saw FBI Agent Dale Cooper, he was in the Great Northern Lodge in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington, staring into a cracked bathroom mirror with a maniacal grin. Staring ba...

DATE: May 20, 2017 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

Get ready for a ‘Dynasty’ reboot

Add another TV reboot to the long list of shows back from the dead: “Dynasty” will debut on the CW this fall. The new version of “Dynasty,” the prime-time soap that aired on ABC f...

DATE: May 19, 2017 | CATEGORY: Film, TV and Streaming

Roger Ailes, architect of conservative TV juggernaut Fox, is dead at 77

Roger Ailes, who mastered the art of selling political candidates like Hollywood celebrities and was the architect of conservative-oriented TV news, has died at 77. Fox News repor...

DATE: May 18, 2017 | CATEGORY: Nation & World

Katy Perry is the first judge named for new ‘American Idol’

Pop star Katy Perry is the first judge to be named for the new season of “American Idol,” which was revived by ABC for the 2017-2018 season. The show, which pulled in 38 million v...

DATE: May 17, 2017 | CATEGORY: Music

‘Deadwood’ actor Powers Booth dies at 68

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Powers Boothe, the character actor known for his villain roles in TV’s “Deadwood,” and in the movies “Tombstone,” “Sin City” and “The Avengers,” has died. He was 68. ...

DATE: May 14, 2017 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

Don’t bother me, or else, Steve Harvey warns his staffers

NEW YORK – Steve Harvey wants to be alone. So don’t be knocking on his dressing room door. That’s just one of several pointed warnings to Harvey’s staff emailed by the talk-show h...

DATE: May 12, 2017 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Kill Bill’ actor Michael Parks dies at 77

NEW YORK – Michael Parks, a prolific character actor and a favorite of directors Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith, has died. He was 77. Parks’ agent, Jane Schulman, says the acto...

DATE: May 10, 2017 | CATEGORY: Film, TV and Streaming

ABC reportedly inks deal to bring back “American Idol”

ABC has reportedly struck a deal to air a revival of the beloved singing competition “American Idol.” Variety reported on Friday that Core Media Group and FreemantleMedia, the pro...

DATE: May 6, 2017 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

‘Happy Days’ cast reunites to remember Erin Moran

The cast of “Happy Days” has briefly reunited to remember cast mate Erin Moran, who died at her Indiana home last month. A photo shared online shows Ron Howard, Marion Ross, Don M...

DATE: May 4, 2017 | CATEGORY: Film, TV and Streaming

Outrage after ‘Survivor’outing: ‘Why haven’t you told anyone here you’re transgender?’

Super fans of “Survivor,” the hit reality TV game show that demands its contestants “outwit,” “outplay” and “outlast” each other, have spent 34 seasons forgiving the dirty tactics of those m...

DATE: Apr 13, 2017 | CATEGORY: Film, TV and Streaming

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