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Colorado school turns to drones for active-shooter defense

The drones are intended to confront active shooters.

News

A Sterling Ranch charter opening next month could become Colorado&#x27;s first school to install drones intended to confront active shooters.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="John Adams Academy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.jaadougco.org/" data-vars-content-id="d2dfbd65-b455-40d0-8aad-b5f55c8cc9eb" data-vars-headline="Colorado school turns to drones for active-shooter defense" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.jaadougco.org/" target="_blank">John Adams Academy</a> is joining a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="growing national experiment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbYKrKmxy6E" data-vars-content-id="d2dfbd65-b455-40d0-8aad-b5f55c8cc9eb" data-vars-headline="Colorado school turns to drones for active-shooter defense" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbYKrKmxy6E" target="_blank">growing national experiment</a> in high-tech school defense with a system called Campus Guardian Angel, which says it can buy police critical time in the early moments of an attack.

Douglas County's disappearing dirt roads

Roads are being paved as growth reshapes Douglas County

Culture

Dusty gravel roads are slowly giving way to asphalt in Douglas County.Why it matters: Every new paved road makes the community safer and is less expensive to maintain and more useful in emergencies.

Flock on why public safety in Colorado isn't a zero-sum game

Flock Safety explains how safeguards can support more responsible public safety technology.

Partners

Douglas County, Colorado, is offering one example of how local officials can approach public safety technology, including automated license plate readers (LPRs) and Drones as First Responders (DFR), while taking residents&#x27; privacy concerns seriously.Why it&#x27;s important: Flock, a company that produces LPR technology, believes public safety isn&#x27;t a zero-sum game.<ul><li>Clear rules, oversight and transparency can help communities like Douglas County use public safety technology while protecting privacy and civil liberties.</li></ul>

Number of child predator cases stuns investigators

Undercover stings and online decoys are leading to arrests

Douglas County authorities say they use undercover decoys, AI-assisted investigations and sting operations to identify suspected child predators before they reach actual minors.Why it matters: It&#x27;s working.

Inside Castle Rock's cop drone network

Police want wider coverage and the ability to fly multiple drones.

Castle Rock Police are already looking to expand drone coverage across town less than a year after launching their drones-as-first-responders (DFR) program.The latest: The department is planning its next phase, pursuing upgrades that could significantly expand the reach of its drone network.

Douglas County's dwindling dog park drama

DougCo data show just three reported incidents this year.

Dog parks in unincorporated Douglas County have been unusually quiet this year.Why it matters: Contrary to some assumptions, summertime isn&#x27;t prime time for dog park problem around here — which is why our review of incidents is so encouraging.

Lone Tree rises after decades of planning

New parks, housing and retail are pushing RidgeGate into its next era.

Business

After 25 years of planning, Lone Tree is seeing major development across <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="RidgeGate" data-vars-click-url="https://ridgegate.com/" data-vars-content-id="0a102223-4def-402c-934b-02b32d2b833b" data-vars-headline="Lone Tree rises after decades of planning" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ridgegate.com/" target="_blank">RidgeGate</a> — the massive mixed-use district that city leaders hope will become the south metro&#x27;s next urban center. Why it matters: Hundreds of acres surrounding RidgeGate&#x27;s light rail stations are now primed for offices, housing, hotels and entertainment projects — giving Lone Tree one of the region&#x27;s largest remaining transit-oriented development corridors.

Douglas County readies residents for fire season

Officials urge residents to create evacuation and mitigation plans, coordinate with neighbors, and sign up for emergency text alerts now.

Climate

Colorado is heading into what officials warn could be an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="active fire season" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/04/30/colorado-wildfire-risk-2026-drought" data-vars-content-id="5e52c5aa-c4ec-410d-92d0-0505b9d496fe" data-vars-headline="Douglas County readies residents for fire season" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/04/30/colorado-wildfire-risk-2026-drought" target="_self">active fire season</a>, with up to 9,000 wildfires expected this year.Why it matters: In Douglas County, that means creating evacuation and mitigation plans, coordinating with neighbors, and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="signing up for emergency alerts" data-vars-click-url="https://dougcoalert.com/" data-vars-content-id="5e52c5aa-c4ec-410d-92d0-0505b9d496fe" data-vars-headline="Douglas County readies residents for fire season" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://dougcoalert.com/" target="_blank">signing up for emergency alerts</a> now.

Public Safety

Colorado school turns to drones for active-shooter defense

The metro area's e-bike injuries are surging

Flock on why public safety in Colorado isn't a zero-sum game

Number of child predator cases stuns investigators

Inside Castle Rock's cop drone network