Boulder Police Department

Bike to Work Day Tomorrow!

Heads up, Boulder! Watch for even more of our two wheeled friends tomorrow morning during Bike to Work Day!

You’ll see several of our officers out and about helping to ensure safety and at the Boulder Chamber’s breakfast station off of Folsom starting around 6:30 a.m.

We’ll be giving away FREE U-locks to the first 45 people who register their bikes with BikeIndex! We’re excited to join with our community partners for this fun event and promote bike safety, bike theft prevention and more!

Stop by and see us tomorrow!

Join Us Wednesday for Coffee with the Cops!

We will be in the Foothills Park Shelter from 9 to 11 a.m. next Wednesday morning for coffee and community!

All are welcome! Come enjoy a cup of coffee on us and chat with some of your Boulder Police officers!

See you there🚔🚨

UPDATE: Boulder Police have arrested a suspect in connection with bomb threats made at the Boulder Main Library starting around 3:15 p.m. today.

Police investigators found a suspicious package on scene and called in the bomb squad to clear the package.

As of 5:20 p.m. bomb squad confirmed that there was no threat to the public and has cleared the scene. The library remains closed for the evening but will reopen tomorrow as usual.

For library operating hours please visit the library’s website or one of the 5 branches that remain open this evening.

ORIGINAL POST:
Boulder Police and Boulder Fire-Rescue are currently at the Boulder Main Library for the report of a suspicious package. The library is closed and is currently being evacuated to err on the side of safety for our community.

Boulder bomb squad is en route and the closure is likely to take a few hours as bomb squad checks and clears the suspicious package. More information will be provided as we have it.

Boulder Police Officer Arrested

BOULDER, Colo. – This afternoon the Boulder Police Department learned that Erie Police was investigating a domestic violence incident involving one of our officers.

The Erie Police Department developed criminal charges against Boulder Police Officer Matthew Herkalo for misdemeanor charges of domestic violence harassment and official misconduct. The incidents are alleged to have occurred when he was off duty. Herkalo turned himself in to Erie Police this afternoon and was arrested.

The Boulder Police Department has placed Herkalo on paid administrative leave per department policy. He has been a Boulder Police officer since July 2024.

The City of Boulder is sharing information about these allegations with our community in the spirit of transparency and integrity. As in every criminal case, these charges are an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

The Boulder Luncheon Optimist Club recently surprised one of our longtime officers in the kindest of ways.

Officer Mitch Trujillo thought he would be giving a safety presentation at their luncheon since that’s one of his regular duties as our community services officer. Instead, he was presented with their Law Enforcement Award for his more than 30 years of service to our community.

Officer Trujillo has dedicated more than 30 years of service to the Boulder, exemplifying the values of optimism, service, and community engagement. Well known and widely respected, he has built strong, lasting relationships through his commitment to public safety education and outreach.

After serving 25 years on Patrol, he has truly found his calling as a Community Services Officer, where he now oversees more than 30 department programs and participates in a multitude community events annually. From bike theft prevention initiatives to youth engagement like library Storytime, he consistently creates positive, meaningful connections with community members of all ages.

A recognized leader in bicycle safety, Officer Trujillo has taught 25 Public Safety Bicycle Courses and more than 50 Bike Patrol Courses for law enforcement professionals. He has also instructed at national conferences, served as an Education Director for the International Police Mountain Bike Association, and contributed to the Complete Guide to Public Safety Cycling.

Officer Trujillo’s passion for service, dedication to education, and genuine care for others embody the spirit of optimism. His work has strengthened both the Boulder Police Department and the community it serves, leaving a lasting and positive impact.

Congrats Officer Trujillo!

Are those drugs next to you?

Officers Harris and Hadley recently responded to an apartment complex on 28th Street when a man called for help, saying he was locked out of his apartment and that someone inside would not let him in.

The call did not end as expected.

After the officers were allowed into the apartment by the management company, they found another man who had been sleeping next to a tray of small, individually resealable bags with a while powdery substance in them. The man’s wallet was also on top of the tray with the suspected drugs. The drugs later tested positive for co***ne.

Officers seized the drugs along with other pills, ma*****na and drug paraphernalia. The man was taken to the Boulder County jail on charges of:

• Distribution/Manufacture/Dispense/Sale – Level 2 Drug Felony
• Unlawful Possession of Co***ne – Felony
• Ma*****na Paraphernalia – Underage Possession – Misdemeanor
• Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance – Misdemeanor
• Ma*****na – Underage Possession/Consumption – Misdemeanor
• Ma*****na Sale/Transfer/Dispense to Minor – Level 3 Drug Felony
• Drug Paraphernalia Possession – Misdemeanor

As in every criminal case, these charges are an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

From Bravery to Innovation

We are incredibly proud to see two of our own recognized this week for their heroism and their innovation, both of which make our community better and safer.

The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police awarded Boulder Police Officer Mastriona and Chief of Staff McNiven two of their statewide awards during their annual conference in Estes Park.

Officer Mastriona received the Valor Award, which is described as “the performance of a deed, above and beyond the policies and procedures of any department or agency, which results in the saving of a human life, or which placed the officer in extreme peril of his/her life.”

Officer Mastriona was the first officer on scene during last year’s terrorism attack on the Pearl Street Mall and disregarded his own safety to arrest the suspect alone amid the chaos. He then coordinated with responding officers and others to help the victims and request numerous additional resources.

Chief of Staff McNiven received the Ralph Smith Professional Award, which is described as “the nominee shall have designed and implemented one or more innovative policing techniques or programs with the goal of improving performance results, building partnerships with the community, or meeting department goals. The weight of the nomination will increase with proven success of the techniques or programs.”

Chief of Staff McNiven received this award for all of the great work he has done with programs like the Blue Envelope, the Autism Decal, and other innovative programs that have now been successfully copied and adopted by many other agencies around the state and the country.

Please join us in congratulating both of these gentlemen for their hard work and dedication. Thank you for representing the Boulder Police Department so well.

Speeding. Check.
Temporary Instruction Permit. Check.
Mandatory court date. Also check.

Officer Parker recently clocked a young driver going 90 mph in a 60-mph zone as she was driving into Boulder on U.S. 36. It’s both an expensive and dangerous start to one’s driving experience.

Please slow down Boulder.

Speeding is one of the top causes of crashes in the City of Boulder according to crash data. Please help us keep everyone safe and achieve Vision, Zero, our shared community goal to reduce the number of severe crashes (fatalities and serious injuries) to zero.

At its core, this goal is inspired by the belief that traffic collisions are preventable, and even one fatality is too many. Vision Zero employs both a location-specific and a systemwide approach that is targeted, reactive and proactive through a transformative set of actions that prioritize travel safety for everyone.

Boulder has five Vision Zero goals:
Eliminate crashes resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.
Reduce other types of crashes.
Improve travel comfort and safety.
Enhance awareness of and community engagement with Vision Zero.
Improve data and be transparent.

Learn more on our website https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/vision-zero