Crime
We moved Boulder Crime News and police blotter out of News and made it a primary category. Even though crime news is the highest in analytic s some readers complain because it ruins non violent news. Our readers and viewers prefer science, tech environmental and entertainment news. So crime news junkies now have your own bad news section here.
Boulder’s Police Pay Woes Persist Amid Rising Crime
Sep 3rd
Boulder Sept 3, 2025 The City of Boulder and the Boulder Police Officers Association (BPOA) finalized a new contract for 180 officers and sergeants, ratified with a modest 4.75% salary increase for 2026.
Non-economic terms, settled in June, will also be included. City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde hailed the agreement as a testament to mutual commitment to public safety,
Non-economic terms, settled in June, will also be included. City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde hailed the agreement as a testament to mutual commitment to public safety,
Signature:
emphasizing proactive community policing. However, the deal fails to address Boulder’s chronic underpayment of its police force, leaving the department 20 officers short. BPOA President Officer Bryan Plyter acknowledged the preserved healthcare protections but noted the salary bump falls below the independent arbitrator’s recommendation. Despite the raise, officers’ pay lags behind regional standards, fueling retention and recruitment struggles.
The compromise—between the city’s 4% and the union’s 6% offer—reflects Boulder’s projected $7.5 million 2026 budget deficit, balancing economic pressures with fiscal constraints. Rivera-Vandermyde recognized inflation’s toll on employees, expressing hope for future raises as finances improve. Yet, the shortfall in competitive pay continues to hamstring the department. With 20 vacant positions, response times lag, and crime rates climb. Boulder’s streets see criminals roaming freely, emboldened by an understaffed force stretched thin.
The city’s focus on fiscal caution overlooks the urgent need for robust public safety investment. The agreement averts a ballot measure, ensuring stability but not satisfaction. Boulder’s police remain underpaid, understaffed, and overwhelmed, as the city grapples with rising crime and a strained budget. Plyter vowed to keep pushing for fair compensation, but for now, officers face mounting challenges with inadequate support, leaving the community vulnerable. The contract, while a step, falls short of addressing the deeper crisis threatening Boulder’s safety.
Boulder D.A. concerned about suicide effect A.I. puts on Children
Aug 28th
Earlier this week, in a rare show of bipartisan unity, 44 Attorneys General from across the U.S. signed a strong commitment to hold Artificial Intelligence companies accountable if their products harm kids.
August 28 2025 Boulder Channel 1 News As you know, I stood strong against social media corporations for this same type of conduct. And I will continue to do so with AI products that prey on our children.
As AI continues to develop, it will be an incredibly helpful tool for businesses and individuals. There is, also, an opportunity — and obligation — to build in protections for our kids. A recent Reuters report found that Meta’s AI rules let its chatbots hold “sensual and romantic” conversations with children. This past April, a teen took his own life after months of advice from an AI chatbot on how to do so. Our kids deserve guardrails that protect them.
As the nation’s Attorneys General explained in this week’s announcement, “Social media platforms caused significant harm to children, in part because government watchdogs did not do their job fast enough. Lesson learned. The potential harms of AI, like the potential benefits, dwarf the impact of social media.”
As an experienced prosecutor and leader, I know what it takes to protect kids from sexual predators an online threats. We must protect kids and their mental health, support them, and equip them to succeed as our next generation. I will always work hard to do so.
Petition to Reopen Investigation into CU Boulder Student’s Death Gains Traction
Aug 28th
Boulder, CO – August 28, 2025 – A petition urging authorities to revisit the investigation into the death of University of Colorado Boulder student Megan Trussell has garnered over 1,000 signatures, fueled by ongoing concerns from her family and supporters. The 18-year-old’s death in February 2025 was officially ruled a suicide by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, but questions about the case persist, prompting calls for further scrutiny.
Megan Trussell was found deceased near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive on February 15, 2025, six days after she was last seen leaving her dorm, Hallett Hall, on February 9. The Boulder County Coroner’s Office determined her death resulted from the toxic effects of amphetamine, with hypothermia as a contributing factor, classifying it as a suicide. The ruling was based on toxicology results, undigested prescription medication found during the autopsy, and other investigative findings, according to Coroner Jeff Martin.
Trussell’s family, led by her mother Vanessa Diaz, disputes the suicide determination, citing what they believe are inconsistencies in the investigation conducted by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO). Diaz has pointed to details such as Trussell’s purse being found nearly six miles from her body and her body missing one shoe. Additionally, some of Trussell’s belongings were found scattered in the area near homeless encampments along Boulder Canyon Drive during the week her body lay undiscovered. Detectives interviewed members of the local unhoused community and recovered items, including Trussell’s phone, which was sold at a resale kiosk by an individual who claimed no direct contact with her. The BCSO concluded there was no evidence of foul play involving those interviewed.
The Change.org petition, launched by Trussell’s cousin Rebecca Perez, calls on the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Attorney General Phil Weiser to reopen the case. The petition gained significant traction following the release of the University of Colorado Police Department (CUPD) case report on August 25, 2025, which outlined how investigators determined Trussell walked from her dorm to the location where her body was found in approximately one hour and 15 minutes. The family questions how she could have made this journey alone, given the distance, terrain, and scattered belongings.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office described the situation as “heartbreaking” but has not commented further on the petition. Sheriff Curtis Johnson previously stated that the investigation, which involved CUPD, the FBI, and local forensic teams, was thorough. The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office supported this conclusion, stating, “Our review included the Coroner’s determination, autopsy findings, police reports, witness interviews, video evidence, cellphone data, and more.” They found no evidence to support a criminal case.
Diaz remains resolute in seeking answers. “When I hear about support like this, it just makes me feel so uplifted and hopeful,” she said of the petition. The family has hired a private investigator and lawyer and is pursuing an independent autopsy. They are also distributing care packages to the unhoused community in hopes of gathering new information about Trussell’s final days.
The CU Boulder community continues to grapple with the loss. “This has been an incredibly difficult time,” said Interim Chief of Police John Monahan. The university has made counseling and support services available to students and staff.
As the petition circulates, the family awaits further testing of the pill material found in Trussell’s stomach, hoping it will provide clarity. The investigation remains closed, but the sheriff’s office has indicated it could be reopened if new evidence emerges.
For those in need of support, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office encourages contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
Channel 1 News, Boulder
