Opinion Columns - The Durango Herald

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Celebrating 250 years of the American experiment – and defending its future

The United States has long been described as one of history’s most ambitious democratic experiments – not because its democracy has been flawless, but because it rests on a bold proposition:...

The Declaration of Independence

Editor’s note: Saturday marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Most of us know the preamble by heart – “We hold these truths to be self-evident” – and little ...

DATE: Jul 3, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

America’s National Parks: the public inheritance no billionaire can buy

Jeff Bezos may have a 417-foot yacht and multiple private jets and mansions, but here’s something very special about America: I have a couple of summer retreats that he could never buy. One ...

DATE: Jul 1, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Dwayne Romero: Why I am running for Congress

When I was 18 years old, I raised my right hand and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That oath never expires....

DATE: Jun 26, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Alex Kelloff: What working families told me in Dolores

When I stopped in Dolores as part of my By The People Tour, I came to learn directly from the people who live here about what is working, what isn't, and what they need from Washington D.C. ...

DATE: Jun 26, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

The constitution doesn’t trust anyone, and that’s the point

An oversight hearing in North Carolina produced one of those moments that was equally viral and revealing. When Rep. Chesser asked Mecklenburg County Sheriff McFadden a basic civics question...

DATE: Jun 26, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Don’t override voters’ will on funding Colorado’s roads and bridges

Drive almost any highway in Colorado, and you can feel the problem in your hands. The wheel chatters over ruts, you swerve to miss potholes and you grip a little tighter on narrow, crumbling...

DATE: Jun 24, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

The lesson from D-Day: America fought fascism, Trump undermines its legacy

As we mark the 81st anniversary of D-Day, Americans must remember not only the courage displayed on the beaches of Normandy but also what that sacrifice was intended to achieve. More than 15...

DATE: Jun 22, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Southwest Colorado officials: Michael Bennet has always delivered for our region

We are city, county and state officials from across La Plata and San Juan counties, and we agree that Michael Bennet has always been a staunch friend and ally of our corner of Colorado, has ...

DATE: Jun 19, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Your investment at work: Strengthening La Plata County roads and infrastructure

In November, La Plata County voters made an important investment in the future of our community by approving Ballot Issue 1A. On behalf of the board of county commissioners, we want to thank...

DATE: Jun 19, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

The high cost of political musical chairs: why Colorado needs Bennet in the Senate

As the 2026 Democratic primary for governor of Colorado approaches, voters will be asked to choose between two capable leaders: Attorney General Phil Weiser and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. Bot...

DATE: Jun 19, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

City Council silenced the voices of Durango residents

Editor's note: Durango City Attorney Mark Morgan said he did not advise City Council that the citizen initiative was "administrative" and should be rejected. Rather, he advised co...

DATE: Jun 17, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

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

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Next ›

Celebrating 250 years of the American experiment – and defending its future

The Declaration of Independence

America’s National Parks: the public inheritance no billionaire can buy

Dwayne Romero: Why I am running for Congress

Alex Kelloff: What working families told me in Dolores

The constitution doesn’t trust anyone, and that’s the point

Don’t override voters’ will on funding Colorado’s roads and bridges

The lesson from D-Day: America fought fascism, Trump undermines its legacy

Southwest Colorado officials: Michael Bennet has always delivered for our region

Your investment at work: Strengthening La Plata County roads and infrastructure

The high cost of political musical chairs: why Colorado needs Bennet in the Senate

City Council silenced the voices of Durango residents

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