Steve Redfearn, interim police chief

Hello Boulder,

I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Independence Day holiday and I hope that everyone has been able to take some time and enjoy the beautiful summer weather!

June was a very busy month for us, and July appears to be shaping up to be just as busy. Not only was June busy with events, but we have seen an increase in major calls for service recently, and I want to acknowledge that any uptick in violence is concerning. We are evaluating the data and— when we are able— working on our prevention strategies. I want to thank our staff for their quick work in several recent major cases where the suspects have been quickly arrested and taken to jail.

The community is an essential part of us being able to police effectively, so please keep reporting things to us that are of concern and letting us know if our service falls short in any way.

One priority for us this summer is community engagement. We are focusing on getting out of our patrol cars and into the community. One way we are doing this is with our new e-bikes. We have several e-bikes in service and our officers are using them to talk to you more easily and more present in areas conducive to crime. We also just hosted a bicycle patrol class where several officers became bike certified. Hopefully, you will see our officers in the downtown corridor and on the creek paths soon. When you do, please say hello!

Bike Patrol certification includes training at night

Speaking of community events, National Night Out will be here before we know it. This is a fun evening where we will be out in the community to meet all of you, bring our equipment and gear to show off, and answer your questions. This year, National Night Out will be on Tuesday, August 6th. From 5 to 8 p.m. at Foothills Community Park, at 800 Cherry Avenue. We’ll be joined by Fire-Rescue, Open Space and Mountain Parks and several other city departments. Follow our social media for more updates.

I also wanted to share some feedback I have heard recently from community members as well as members of our Police Oversight Panel regarding police ride alongs. Did you know that you can ride along with a BPD officer and experience firsthand what they experience during a shift?

The feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive and many have shared that they had no idea the complexities of the things our officers deal with. It’s really not like what you  see on TV! If you are at least 18 years old and meet the requirements, we would love to have you come spend some time out on patrol with us. For more information and to fill out a ride along form, check out the Police Ride-Along Program

On a final note, I’m excited to share that we’re getting so close to full staffing. We had 13 new recruits start with us on Monday and they will be heading off to the Combined Lakewood-Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Regional Academy next week! We are excited they chose BPD for their career and are eager to get them out on the streets here in our great community. With their hiring, that will bring us up to 180 sworn officers, which is just 11 officers shy of full staffing. As you’ve seen, we’re quite busy and when we’re fully staffed, we can better engage and protect our community. 

Thank you for your continued participation and support. I hope that your July is filled with fun and time with family and loved ones. We are here if you need us!

In partnership,

Steve Redfearn, interim police chief

Detective Porter picked up this adorable kiddo from a city residence after the adult in charge of caring for him failed to do so.

Thankfully the child was physically unharmed, and he actually seemed in good spirits when we met him.

Detective Porter gave the kiddo a BPD junior police officer badge sticker, which he proudly wore on his t-shirt. Detective Porter then assisted in transporting the child to Denver International Airport as part of his journey back home.

Though this story may have had a sad beginning, it definitely has a much happier ending. We helped get this young boy to the airport to meet a loving family member who will make sure he gets home safely and who hopes to care for him permanently moving forward.

A community member wrote to commend Dispatcher Laugen after speaking with her on the phone.

"Just a quick positive note to let you know that Dispatcher Laugen at the non-emergency Boulder Police Department today went above and beyond to help me with a non-emergency! I was anticipating a drive to Boulder at 6 pm with a 15-year-old to attend an event at Roots Music Project but was unable to determine if minors were invited. She was so very kind and helpful and FYI, yes, all ages are invited.”

Editor's Note: BPD wanted to share this article from the July magazine of the International Association of Chiefs of Police because it features Interim Chief Redfearn talking about a variety of topics, including how he defines success, what he thinks is the biggest challenge facing policing today and a very surprising fun fact about him! 

We're currently hiring for new and lateral police officers! As part of this process we will be hosting a Women's Recruitment Expo on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The expo will include demonstrations from a variety of different units, talks from some of our female officers about career options as a Boulder Police officer. You can also see what our physical agility test is like and how to go through it with some of our instructors. Finally, you’ll enjoy a complimentary lunch with Interim Chief Redfearn. Register for free by clicking here

Boulder Police Department home page: bouldercolorado.gov/government/departments/police