Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Public safety

Who watches the watchers? Why surveillance technology needs stronger oversight, not less
American Thinker, Approved, Commentary, National

Who watches the watchers? Why surveillance technology needs stronger oversight, not less

By Brian Joondeph | Commentary, American Thinker Trust is important. Verification is essential. More than 2,000 years ago, the Roman poet Juvenal posed a timeless question: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? — “Who will guard the guards themselves?” or “Who watches the watchers?” The Romans could never have imagined artificial intelligence, facial recognition, or nationwide networks of automated license-plate readers. Yet their question may be even more relevant today than it was three millennia ago. Recent debate over Flock Safety cameras illustrates why. The cameras have become an invaluable law enforcement tool. A stolen vehicle that crosses several jurisdictions can now be identified in minutes rather than days. An abducted child can sometimes be located be...
Four ICE Protesters Detained After Blocking Centennial Field Office
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Four ICE Protesters Detained After Blocking Centennial Field Office

By: Adria Iraheta | Denver7 Deputies told Denver7 Arapahoe County reporter Adria Iraheta they cited 4 protesters Monday at the Centennial ICE field office during demonstrations. CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Four people were detained and cited Monday after a tense standoff with law enforcement outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Centennial, as protests continued for a fourth day following a shooting at a nearby ICE detention facility. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office says the four were detained, cited and released at the scene after they were "warned multiple times to stop impeding operation of a public building." The protests began after reports of health concerns inside the Aurora Processing Center. Adams County health officials pre...
Federal Crackdown Targets Alleged TdA ATM Hacking Network That Hit Colorado Banks
CBS Colorado, Approved, National

Federal Crackdown Targets Alleged TdA ATM Hacking Network That Hit Colorado Banks

By Logan Smith | CBS Colorado The U.S. Department of Justice says a violent Venezuelan gang which has a history of illegal activity in Colorado is responsible for stealing more than $6 million from American banks across the country.  Ninety-eight people with ties to Tren de Aragua have been named in indictments that accuse them of installing viruses into ATMs. The virus allows the machines to dispense sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time.  ATMs in 26 states -- including Colorado, Wyoming, and, in particular, Nebraska -- were physically broken into over the course of two years (January 2024 to February 2026), according to court documents. Most of the incidents detailed in the indictments occurred in Nebraska. One Nebraska credit ...
Colorado’s New Semiautomatic Firearm Law Takes Effect Aug. 1
The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Colorado’s New Semiautomatic Firearm Law Takes Effect Aug. 1

By Marissa Ventrelli | The Denver Gazette A Colorado law passed in 2025 established new requirements for individuals planning to purchase semiautomatic weapons. Here’s what residents should know before Senate Bill 003 goes into effect on Aug. 1. From a ban to a training course For decades, advocates have been pushing for a ban on semiautomatic weapons with detachable magazines, which they have described as “assault weapons,” though efforts escalated following the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. After the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, the Colorado legislature passed House Bill 1224, which prohibited the sale, transfer and possession of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds. However, some advocates wanted mor...
Colorado Faces Long Fire Season As Crews Gain Momentum On Major Blazes
The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Faces Long Fire Season As Crews Gain Momentum On Major Blazes

By Justin George | The Colorado Sun Procession along I-70 scheduled Monday for pilot killed fighting Gold Mountain fire. On Sunday, firefighters worked across Colorado and prepped for monsoon weather. As firefighters work to fortify containment lines on wildfires burning across Colorado, a procession is set for Monday to escort the body of helicopter pilot Nicholas Dale from Montrose to Denver International Airport.  Dale, 56, of Canada died July 12 when his helicopter crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir while fighting the Gold Mountain fire near Ouray.  A small convoy of about 10 emergency vehicles is scheduled to leave Montrose at 7 a.m. Monday from Cripping Funeral Home and will travel north to Grand Junction then east on Interstate ...
Civil Lawsuit Claims Neglected Power Lines Sparked Aspen Acres Fire
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Civil Lawsuit Claims Neglected Power Lines Sparked Aspen Acres Fire

By: James Gavato | Denver7 RYE, Colo. — Four people have filed a civil lawsuit against the San Isabel Electric Association, claiming the company is allegedly responsible for the Aspen Acres Fire and the damage it caused. All four people who filed the lawsuit live in either Pueblo or Custer counties. The lawsuit alleges that on the morning the Aspen Acres Fire started, June 29, 2026, a witness reported seeing a large tree leaning on a power line in the area. It goes on to say another witness videotaped a fire burning near a power line in the Aspen Acres subdivision. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT DENVER7
Douglas County Replaces Flock Cameras With $22.8 Million Axon Public Safety System
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Douglas County Replaces Flock Cameras With $22.8 Million Axon Public Safety System

By: Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is abandoning the controversial Flock Safety camera system, joining a growing number of Colorado law enforcement agencies that have raised concerns about data privacy and ownership. The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a nearly $22.8 million contract with public safety technology company Axon that will replace the county’s network of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras and add a countywide drone response system. The package includes 100 Axon Outpost license plate reader cameras, replacing the county’s existing 50 Flock cameras, as well as a network of “first responder drones” stationed throughout the county. Officials said the technology will improve emergency res...
Colorado charter school prepares to deploy first active-shooter response drones
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Colorado charter school prepares to deploy first active-shooter response drones

By Olivia Young | CBS Colorado A school in Douglas County will be the first in Colorado to install a drone active shooter suppression system. John Adams Academy is a public charter school currently being built in Sterling Ranch. The school is preparing to open to students this August. It will be the first school to open in the growing community, and the first school in Colorado to use drones to protect students from active threats. Tuesday, county leaders were expected to approve $200,000 in security funding for the school. They didn't end up voting on the funding, but the drones will still be taking to the halls of John Adams Academy. "We were looking for technology that could enhance the response time for our first responders and give real-time critical information i...
The case for Flock cameras: A proven tool Colorado shouldn’t abandon
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

The case for Flock cameras: A proven tool Colorado shouldn’t abandon

By Booker Lightman | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Police departments across Colorado have installed AI-powered Flock cameras to help them catch criminals. Not everyone is grateful. The fiercest opposition has come from the political Left, often driven by fears the cameras will aid ICE. These concerns led Denver to drop its contract with Flock, while a bill in the state legislature that would have required warrants for most searches of license plate data died in April after pushback from law enforcement.  Some on the Right have joined the anti-Flock crusade, concerned about the cameras’ supposed threat to privacy. Flock critics often claim the cameras are unnecessary and that the proper solution to crime is to hire more police officers. The people best placed to ...