WOULD WE BE ABLE TO REACH YOU? Wildfire. Flooding. Severe weather. Other emergencies. When something is happening in your area, getting accurate information quickly matters. LPC Alerts is La Plata County's emergency notification system. It can send alerts by text, phone, and email, and notifications can be targeted to specific affected areas. If you were previously registered for CodeRED, you were automatically enrolled when LPC Alerts replaced it earlier this year. If you aren’t registered, take a couple of minutes and sign up: LPCGov.org/LPCAlerts Then help someone else do the same. Emergency notifications only work if we can reach you. #NationalPreparednessMonth #LPCAlerts #DurangoCO #EmergencyPreparedness

🌿 “Can I eat that?” is a question best answered BEFORE you take a bite. Join Ranger Tosh this Thursday, September 24, for Edible Plants & Wildlife, the next class in his Outdoor Class series. Bring your curiosity and your questions! 📍 Durango Recreation Center ⏰5:30–7 p.m. 💲FREE Keep learning with us! All remaining classes meet Thursdays at the same time and location: • Oct. 1: Wilderness Skills • Oct. 8: Wilderness First Aid, CPR & Heart-Related Emergencies • Oct. 15: Wilderness First Aid Continued: Trauma & Bleeding • Oct. 22: Outdoor Etiquette • Oct. 29: Backpacking Equipment & Skills • Nov. 5: Colorado Bird Behavior & Identification • Nov. 12: Wildlife Behavior & Tracking Save the schedule and share it with your outdoor adventure buddy. See you Thursday!

🎨 ROAD CLOSURE NOTICE | DURANGO AUTUMN ARTS FESTIVAL Heading downtown for the Durango Autumn Arts Festival? Here’s what drivers need to know about closures along E. 2nd Avenue beginning tonight, Friday, Sept. 18. 🚧 Closures begin at 5:30 p.m. in the 900 block of E. 2nd Avenue and will continue south one block at a time each hour, eventually reaching 7th Street. 🚗 8th and 9th Streets will remain open for eastbound and westbound traffic until 10 p.m. Friday. Please plan ahead, watch for barricades and traffic control, and give yourself a little extra time if you’re traveling through downtown. And if the detour happens to lead you toward some local art, food, and music… there are worse problems to have. 🎨 #durangocolorado #durangoautumnartsfestival #RoadClosure #downtowndurango #durangopd

National Co-Responder Week Some calls don’t need handcuffs. They need time, compassion, resources, and someone who knows how to help. This week, we’re proud to recognize Michaela and Sam, our co-responders, along with Molly, their supervisor, for their invaluable work in our community. Michaela and Sam work alongside our officers to help people experiencing mental health, behavioral health, and other complex crises. They bring specialized knowledge to situations that often don’t have a simple solution. They help de-escalate difficult moments, connect people with appropriate services and resources, and provide follow-up that can make a lasting difference long after the initial call is over. Molly helps guide and support that work, making sure our co-responder team has the coordination, resources, and support needed to serve people effectively. Their work gives our officers another option when the underlying problem isn’t necessarily criminal in nature. Sometimes the best outcome isn’t an arrest. It’s getting someone connected to the help they actually need. During National Co-Responder Week, we want to thank Michaela, Sam, and Molly for the compassion, professionalism, and commitment they bring to this work every day. Your work matters, and Durango is better because you’re here.

🚨 A message from Chief Brice Current on road rage 🚨 We've all felt that flash of frustration behind the wheel - but a five-second delay isn't worth a lifetime of consequences. From tailgating to brandished weapons, road rage in our community is turning ordinary drives into dangerous situations. Chief Current's ask is simple: be considerate. You never know what the person next to you is going through. That car is two tons of steel - not a way to settle a dispute. If you are experiencing aggressive or threatening behavior on the road, do not engage. Create distance when you can and call 911. We all have somewhere to be. Let’s make sure everyone gets there safely. 🚗💙 #RoadSafety #durangopd #DriveWithCompassion #RoadRageAwareness #onedurango

🌲 Your next outdoor adventure could use a little Ranger Tosh. Ranger Tosh’s Outdoor Class series kicks off September 17! Join us for free classes covering wildlife encounters, wilderness skills, outdoor first aid, and more. Practical knowledge to help you feel more prepared when you head outside. 📍 Durango Recreation Center 🗓️Thursdays, September 17 through November 12 ⏰5:30–7 p.m. 💲All classes are free. Here’s the fall lineup: • Sept. 17: Animal Encounters: What to Do! • Sept. 24: Edible Plants and Wildlife • Oct. 1: Wilderness Skills • Oct. 8: Wilderness First Aid, CPR and Heart-Related Emergencies • Oct. 15: Wilderness First Aid Continued: Trauma and Bleeding • Oct. 22: Outdoor Etiquette • Oct. 29: Backpacking Equipment and Skills • Nov. 5: Colorado Bird Behavior and Identification • Nov. 12: Wildlife Behavior and Tracking Watch Ranger Tosh’s introduction, save the schedule, and share it with your adventure buddy. We’ll see you Thursday!

Today is National Police Woman Day. More than a century ago, women had to fight simply for the opportunity to wear the badge. Today, women serve throughout law enforcement as patrol officers, investigators, supervisors, instructors, leaders, and much more. Here at the Durango Police Department, the women who wear our badge answer the same calls, carry the same responsibilities, and make the same commitment to this community every day. Today, we're proud to recognize the women of DPD and the professionalism, leadership, experience, and dedication they bring to this department and to the community we serve. To the women of DPD, thank you for showing up and doing the work every single day. One Department. One Community. One Durango.

HAPPY LABOR DAY, DURANGO! 🇺🇸 Today, we recognize the hard work and contributions of workers who help keep our community moving every day. In observance of Labor Day, the Durango Police Department lobby is closed today and will reopen tomorrow during regular business hours. Our officers remain on duty 24/7. For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency police assistance, call 970-385-2900. Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!

SEPTEMBER: NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH If you had 10 minutes to leave your house, would you be ready? An emergency kit doesn't need to look like you're preparing for the apocalypse. It needs to get you and your household through the first hours or days when normal services may not be available. For Durango, start with: • Water and nonperishable food • Flashlights and extra batteries • First-aid supplies • Prescription medications • Phone chargers and backup power • A battery-powered or hand-crank radio • Copies of important documents • Some cash • Extra clothing and sturdy shoes • Supplies for kids, older adults, or anyone with additional needs • Food, water, medications, and supplies for your pets And don't forget your vehicle. A smaller emergency kit in your car can be just as important as the one at home. You don't have to build everything today. Start with a bag. Add a few things this week. Then keep building. Preparedness isn't about expecting the worst. It's about making sure you're ready when something doesn't go according to plan. durangoco.gov/789/Emergency-… #NationalPreparednessMonth #DurangoCO #EmergencyPreparedness #ProtectServeCare #DurangoPD #OneDurango

🏍️ Durango is about to get a little louder. The 33rd Four Corners Motorcycle Rally rolls into town Sept. 3–6, followed immediately by Labor Day. That means a lot more motorcycles, vehicles, and people sharing our roads this weekend. So, instead of another generic safety lecture, here's the Rally Weekend Road Guide: 🏍️ Look twice for motorcycles. Check mirrors and blind spots before turning or changing lanes. 🚗 Give riders some room. Motorcycles are smaller, harder to see, and much less forgiving when something goes wrong. ↔️ Know the difference between lane filtering and lane splitting. Colorado allows motorcycles to filter through completely stopped traffic at no more than 15 mph when it can be done safely. Passing between moving vehicles is still illegal. 🪖 Riders, gear up.A helmet and protective gear give you a fighting chance when somebody else makes a mistake. 🍺 Plan the ride home before the first drink. If you're drinking, park the bike and find another way home. Most importantly, bring a little patience with you this weekend. More bikes. More traffic. Same roads. Let's share them. #DurangoPD #FourCornersMotorcycleRally #ShareTheRoad #RideSober #DurangoColorado

At tonight’s City Council meeting, Chief Brice Current announced that DPD will not renew its Flock Safety contract in 2027 and will transition its automated license plate reader program to Axon. ALPR will remain an important investigative tool. What is changing is the provider, along with stronger limits on how long information may be accessed and retained. DPD’s safeguards include: • Same as before, every search must be connected to a specific case or investigation and serve an authorized, legitimate law-enforcement purpose. • Effective immediately, routine access is limited to information collected during the preceding seven days. • Searches involving information more than seven days old require reasonable suspicion, supervisor approval, and documentation. • Routine ALPR information will not be retained for more than 21 days unless it must be lawfully preserved. “The easy choice is to choose public safety or privacy. The harder, and more responsible, choice is to insist on both.” Read the full statement: durangoco.gov/m/NewsFlash/ho…

🚧 ROAD CLOSURE + BREWFEST WEEKEND 🚧 The San Juan Brewfest is back at Buckley Park this weekend, which means a temporary closure on Main Avenue. 📍 1200 block of Main Avenue 📅Friday, Aug. 28 through Saturday, Aug. 29 ⏰Closure begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday and remains in place until approximately 8:30 p.m. Saturday If you’re headed to Brewfest, have a plan before the first pour. The Designated Driver Lounge gives DDs a shaded place to hang out along with mocktails and other non-alcoholic options. We’re proud to join Four Corners Broadcasting, Radio 101 KIQX Durango 101.3 FM, and KRSJ 100.5 FM Your Brand of Country in supporting the DD Lounge. And your DD isn’t the only option. City of Durango - Durango Transportation transit is free both days of Brewfest. Enjoy the festival. Know your limit. Make the ride home decision before you start drinking. 🍺 Friday Brewfest: 5–8 p.m. 🍺 Saturday Brewfest: 1–5 p.m., with VIP entry at noon. More Brewfest information: San Juan Brewfest #sanjuanbrewfest #durangocolorado #downtowndurango #DriveSober #durangopd

The first day of school means an important reminder for drivers on Florida Road: When the school zone lights are flashing, the speed limit is 20 mph. The speed cameras on Florida Road enforce the school zone speed limit when the lights are active. Slow down, watch for students, and give yourself a little extra time as you drive through the area. Twenty miles per hour may feel slow, but getting kids to and from school safely is worth every second.

Benjamin Smith has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for sexually exploiting children in our community. We are grateful to Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, and the investigators and prosecutors whose work brought this case to conclusion. Most importantly, we recognize the victims and their families who endured this process. Our commitment remains clear: protect children, pursue those who prey on them, and stand with victims. justice.gov/usao-co/pr/forme…

Durango, what is happening? First, we had kangaroos. Then bears. Now we’ve got BADGERS. At this point, we’re one escaped penguin away from being a full-service zoo. And this badger? He did not give a shhhhhh. Not one. Zero concerns. Just out here stomping around Durango like he pays property taxes. As entertaining as our latest wildlife guest may be, badgers are wild animals with strong claws and sharp teeth, and they have absolutely no interest in your selfie. Give them space, keep pets back, and let them continue whatever important badger business brought them into town. Durango wildlife bingo is getting weird. #AmericanBadger #ColoradoWildlife #DurangoColorado #BadgerDontCare

COMMUNITY WARNING: Durango Police are investigating after an e-bike rider struck a caltrop on Goeglein Gulch Road and was seriously injured. If you find a similar metal device, don’t touch it. Report it to Durango Police non-emergency at 970-385-2900.

🏠 COLLEGE IS STARTING SOON. DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU RENT. Low rent can be tempting, especially when housing is tight. Scammers know that. Durango Police has received reports of fake rental listings using real photos, addresses and property owner information. Watch for these red flags: • Rent priced well below the local market • A landlord who won’t meet in person • No interior tour • Pressure to send a deposit quickly • Requests for money before you receive keys In one Durango case, victims signed a fraudulent lease and lost $4,600. Before you pay, verify who owns or manages the property, tour the home, search the address online and compare listings. 🎓 Students and parents: if the deal looks unusually good, slow down and check it out. Before you sign. Before you pay. Do your homework.

This morning, Durango Police officers assisted Durango Fire & Rescue with a fire at the Recondo Del Rio Townhomes on Animas View Drive. Regardless of the cause of today’s fire, it’s a good reminder to be careful with anything that can start one. • Fully extinguish cigarettes and dispose of them in a proper container. • Never toss cigarette butts onto the ground, into vegetation or into anything combustible. • Keep BBQ grills attended while in use and away from buildings, decks and other materials that can burn. • Make sure grills are completely cool before covering or storing them. A big thank you to Durango Fire & Rescue for their response and hard work this morning.