Message from the Chief: Back to School

Happy late summer, Boulder.

I hope that everyone has been able to enjoy some outdoor activities, vacations, or some needed fun before our students returned to school—excitement is in the air with new and returning students at CU, and CU Football is about to kick off again.

We have been busy as ever, and I continue to be proud of the work our team is doing. The data continues to show declining crime rates in every category year to date compared to 2024.

Currently, our focus is on Back to School operations involving a large presence in and around University Hill. We are doing our best to support the students’ enjoyment of Boulder while also setting expectations about what conduct is appropriate or not. You can see some of that in a social media “ride along” we did this past weekend with officers on the Hill (click the “Officer Geib” ride along highlight on our Instagram profile).

This month, I want to address a topic that has been the subject of a lot of discussion and scrutiny nationwide lately: the use of Flock license plate readers. We have had great success with this tool, and I believe there is a direct correlation with our license plate readers and a drastic decrease in motor vehicle thefts in Boulder. We are currently seeing a 30 percent reduction in motor vehicle theft year-to-date compared to 2024, and Flock is one of the reasons behind that reduction.

We’ve maintained a Flock Transparency Portal on our website and recently updated it with new information about our use of Flock. More information can be found on our website.

I want you to hear from me that I am a firm believer in using technology to solve and reduce crime, and to work smarter and safer in doing so. We will continue to monitor all technology, solicit and listen to feedback, and, as needed, pivot and make changes. Our priority is keeping the public safe and reducing crime, and we will use best practices, technology, and resources to do so. We want to send a message to criminals and would-be criminals that if they come to Boulder to victimize our community, we will use a variety of tools—including the latest technology—to help us find and arrest them.

Switching gears: a couple of times a month, a staff member accompanies me for a day as “Chief for a Day.” So far, a police officer and one of our 911 dispatchers have signed up—we’ll highlight future chiefs on social media.

Considering incidents around the country, we also filmed a video—nearly all county agencies participated—showing what Boulder County law enforcement uniforms and cars look like, standards for identification/nametags, and what to do if you’re unsure someone is actually law enforcement. Watch the video: How Do You Recognize a Real Police Officer—Boulder County Edition.