Hello, Boulder, and Happy December.
As the colder weather is upon us, I am so excited for all the events, celebrations, and gatherings happening in and around Boulder. The Boulder Star is illuminated, and Pearl Street is abuzz with activity.
Meanwhile, your BPD has been extremely busy keeping the community safe. We have highlighted numerous positive stories on our social media recently. If you don’t follow us, I highly encourage you to do so. We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Reddit, Nextdoor, Threads and LinkedIn. Not only can you see many examples of the positive work that’s been going on, but we also use these platforms during emergencies to communicatein a timely fashion.
Looking at the calendar, it’s incredible to see that 2024 is almost over. In partnership with our community, I am so proud of the work we’ve done this year. One thing I am most proud of is that with the hiring of more than a dozen new officers in early December, we are about to be fully staffed for the first time since at least 2016.
We are also fully staffed in our dispatch/911 center, and almost fully staffed in our Records Section. This is so exciting as it will allow us to continue to build upon the great work we started in 2024, and to ensure we have the proper staff assigned in the proper areas to keep the community safe and prevent crime and disorder. Please join me in welcoming all our new staff to BPD!
For me, the holiday and the Christmas season cause me to pause and remember being a kid, and just how much I loved Christmas. Something magical happens around this time of year, and I always love hearing what traditions people have if they celebrate one of the holidays. We had a couple of traditions growing up that I still cherish to this day, especially when I remember my late dad.
One of them was to load up into the car, dogs, hot chocolate and all, and spend an evening driving around looking at Christmas lights. To this day, this is a memory I cherish. I can remember more than one night when it was snowing and cold—perfect December weather—with my parents driving around Littleton looking at the lights. Even as a kid, it felt like for that night, all was right in the world and our small family was so happy to be together.
As we enter the holiday season, we want to provide some safety tips for you to consider as you hopefully spend time celebrating and visiting with friends and family. During this holiday season, we will also have additional patrols in our shopping areas as well as increased DUI enforcement.
We encourage everyone to remember the following safety tips:
• Always keep your doors and windows locked as many crimes are crimes of opportunity
• Keep valuables out of sight, both in your car and in your home
• If you’re having packages delivered, make sure you’re home to receive them or have them delivered to a location out of sight
• When shopping online, check the website’s security settings
• Park in well-lit areas
• Don’t overburden yourself carrying gifts or other items so that you’re distracted
• Pay attention to your surroundings
• Keep an emergency supply kit in your car when traveling to be prepared for all types of weather
• Celebrate responsibly when going out with friends and family.
I hope that this season finds you engaged in old traditions, or new traditions being made for the first time. Regardless, your BPD will be here if you need us. A big shoutout to all of our staff who will be working throughout the holidays, taking time away from their own families to protect our community. If you see them out and about, please thank them for their commitment to keeping our community safe, 24/7/365.
I am really excited for many new initiatives and endeavors we have planned for next year, and to continue serving this community as your police chief.
Wishing everyone a safe, warm, and healthy December.
In partnership,
