A rattlesnake bite is serious, but it is not automatically a death sentence. The key is to stay calm and get help fast.
If you or your dog is bitten, do not:
• Try to suck out the venom
• Put ice on the bite
• Cut over the fang marks
• Use a tight band or tourniquet
Instead:
• Keep the person or dog calm and still
• Remove tight clothing, jewelry, collars, leashes, or harnesses near the bite area
• Keep the bite area clean
• Get to a veterinary office or hospital as soon as possible
For dogs, call your vet or an emergency vet right away and let them know you are coming in for a possible snake bite.
For people, seek medical care immediately.
Stay aware. Watch where you step. Watch where your dog sniffs. Give rattlesnakes space.
#DurangoCO #DurangoColorado #LaPlataCounty #SouthwestColorado #FourCorners #RattlesnakeSafety #PetSafety #DogSafety #DogParkSafety #OutdoorSafety #OneDurango
🚗 Vehicle thefts are up in Durango — and many are preventable.
So far in 2026, Durango has had 23 stolen vehicles reported, compared to 16 this time last year. April rose from 2 to 7, and May is already at 7.
Many cases involved unlocked vehicles or keys left inside.
Help prevent auto theft:
🔒 Lock it
🔑 Take your keys
👀 Hide valuables
💡 Park in well-lit areas
📞 Report suspicious activity
DPD has about 30 free steering wheel locks while supplies last. Stop by and pick one up.
The singing may be optional.
The first aid skills are not.
Join Ranger Tosh for the next Ranger Series class on Outdoor First Aid.
This free class covers basic splinting and bandaging in outdoor environments, and it’s a must for anyone who hikes, camps, bikes, fishes, or spends time outdoors.
Thursday, May 28
5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Durango Rec Center
Free and open to all ages.
Bring your questions. Bring a friend. Come learn how to be better prepared when the unexpected happens outdoors.
#RangerSeries #OutdoorFirstAid #OutdoorSafety #FirstAidSkills #TheOfficeCPRScene #StayinAlive #DurangoPD #ColoradoOutdoors
Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Their courage, dedication, and selflessness will never be forgotten.
In observance of Memorial Day, the Durango Police Department lobby will be closed today, Monday, May 25, and will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, May 26, during regular business hours.
As always, officers remain on duty. For emergencies, call 911.
We wish our community a safe and reflective Memorial Day.
Do not be Mango.
Random berries are not trail snacks.
Join Ranger Tosh and Ranger Mango for the next Ranger Series class on Edible Plants of the Southwest.
You’ll learn which plants may be safe to identify, which plants to avoid, and why guessing in the wilderness is a terrible plan.
This class is free and open to all ages.
Thursday, May 21
5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Durango Rec Center
Bring your questions. Bring a friend. Please do not bring unidentified berries.
The Durango Police Department lobby will be closed Tuesday, May 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a City employee event.
The lobby will reopen at 2:30 p.m.
Thank you for your understanding.
Durango Police Department Animal Control Rangers want to remind our community to take tick prevention seriously.
The La Plata County Humane Society is seeing a significant increase in ticks on the animals it serves. That means now is the time to protect your pets and know what to watch for.
Ticks can spread disease to people and animals. Prevention matters.
What you can do:
• Talk to your veterinarian about preventative tick treatment for your pets
• Check your pets, yourself, your children, clothing, and gear after being outside
• Use EPA-registered tick repellent on exposed skin
• Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot
• Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants when walking through brush or tall grass
• Stay near the center of trails
• Avoid sitting on logs, rocks, or bare ground in tick habitat
• Shower soon after coming indoors
• Place exposed clothing in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes
If you find a tick:
• Use fine-tipped tweezers
• Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible
• Pull straight up with steady pressure
• Do not twist, crush, or jerk the tick
• Wash the bite area and your hands
• Save the tick in a sealed bag or container if testing or identification is needed
Watch for flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, including fever, headache, chills, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Symptoms can vary, and rashes do not always appear.
Protect yourself. Protect your pets. Check for ticks every time you come back inside.
SCAM ALERT
This scam is now showing up in Colorado and has also been reported in Arizona.
If you receive a text with a photo like this, or something similar, do not scan the QR code. Do not click links. Do not give out personal or payment information.
This is not an official court document.
These scam texts usually include little to no information in the message itself. The attached “notice” is fake and is designed to scare you into paying quickly.
Scammers count on fear, urgency, and confusion. Don’t give them your money.
Please share this with your loved ones and friends, even the ones you only keep around for entertainment. We don’t want anyone falling victim to this scam.
If you are unsure whether a message is legitimate, contact your local law enforcement agency or the court directly using a verified phone number. Do not use the contact information provided in the suspicious message.
Thank you, Durango.
On April 25, the Durango Police Department hosted the DEA Drug Take Back event at the Police Department and the Sub Station.
Together, we collected:
• 215.20 pounds of unused medications
• 14 boxes of medications
• 4 full boxes of food and hygiene products for Manna
This beat our previous record of 162.6 pounds collected in 2021.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen, including PSTs Gunn, Hanson-Riley, and Smith; Sgt. Cunningham; Commanders Newman, Dunlop, and Stasi; Julie; Lana; Jonathan; Nate; Officer Coleman; property and Evidence Team, Amelia Aguilar and Kim Wall; and the Community Events Team.
Thank you to every community member who stopped by to safely dispose of medications or donate items to support Manna.
What we do makes a difference.
Deer may look peaceful, but they are still wild animals with hooves, attitude, and absolutely no customer service training.
Watch for these red flags:
• Stomping or pawing the ground
• Snorting, huffing, or blowing air
• Ears pinned back
• Head lowered
• Stiff body posture
• Direct staring
• Refusing to move away
• Following or circling you
If a deer starts acting like it wants to speak to the manager, back away slowly. Do not run. Put distance and a barrier between you and the deer.
Keep dogs leashed and away from deer. Dogs can trigger defensive behavior, especially during fawn season or rut.
Never approach, feed, or try to touch wildlife.
Give deer space. It protects you, your pets, and your dignity.
Ready for a career that demands character, discipline, and commitment?
The Durango Police Department is accepting applications now. Trainee and lateral officers are welcome to apply.
Testing dates:
• May 2, 8 a.m. to noon
• May 12, 6 to 10 p.m.
The process starts with the physical assessment at Escalante Middle School. Written testing follows at the Ironwood Training Center.
Apply now:
https://t.co/HLIqPwdrYI
If you want to serve, lead, and make a difference, apply today.
Leash up at Dalla Mountain Park.
This is not an off-leash area. Dogs must be on leash at all times because Dalla Mountain Park is within Durango city limits.
The signs are posted at the trailhead. The rules are simple:
° Keep your dog on a leash
° Pick up after your dog
° Help protect the park for everyone
Dalla Mountain Park is a popular place for hiking, biking, and climbing. Following the leash rule helps keep visitors, pets, wildlife, and trails safer.
Please do your part every time you visit.
Today, Wednesday, April 22, 2026, we recognize and thank the Durango Police Department’s Administrative Professional Staff.
Their work keeps this department organized, responsive, and moving every day. They support our team, help serve our community, and play a critical role in our daily operations.
To honor them, the DPD lobby will close at 2:00 p.m. today.
Please join us in thanking our Administrative Professional Staff for all they do.
Durango Police update on the Automated Speed Enforcement Camera project:
• Warning phase began April 13
• Warnings will be issued for 30 days
• Live enforcement begins May 12
The goal is simple: reduce dangerous speeding and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
Bikes: great.
Bike racks: useful.
Calling us “DoPo”: still under review.
The Herald’s story started with a reader asking why so many plates seem to disappear behind bikes, cargo boxes, mud, and snow.
It is a fair question. Obscuring your license plate is a violation in Colorado.
If your plate is covered by fun like bikes, mud, or snow, we get it. But covers designed to obscure your plate are a no-go.
Could you get stopped? Yes.
If that is the only issue, you are probably not bringing the most exciting case to our shift. We have bigger fish to fry.
This week, Durango Police proudly recognizes the dedicated telecommunicators of the Durango Emergency Communications Center during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 12–18, 2026, as designated by APCO International.
Our dispatchers are the steady voice amid chaos. They answer calls for help, gather critical information, provide reassurance, and help connect first responders to the people who need them most. Their work is demanding, fast-moving, and often unseen, but its impact is felt every single day across our community.
We are grateful for the professionalism, compassion, and calm our telecommunicators bring to every call. Their service matters. Their commitment matters. And this week, we proudly thank them for all they do.
Please join us in showing appreciation for the voices behind the headset.
#NationalPublicSafetyTelecommunicatorsWeek #TelecommunicatorWeek #Dispatchers #PublicSafety #durangopd
This week, we’re recognizing Amelia Aguilar and Kim Wall during National Property and Evidence Professionals Week.
If you have ever wondered who keeps things organized, documented, secured, and exactly where they need to be, it is these two. While the rest of us are still looking for a pen, Amelia and Kim are protecting the integrity of evidence and helping keep cases on track.
Their work takes precision, professionalism, and serious attention to detail. It is not flashy, but it is critical. Behind every well-run case is a whole lot of work most people never see, and they do it exceptionally well.
Thank you, Amelia and Kim, for your hard work, reliability, and dedication to the Durango Police Department. You make a tough job look easy, and we know it is anything but.
#propertyandevidenceprofessionalsweek #durangopd #behindthescenese #thankyou
A 12-year-old boy with autism who went missing from the Durango Mall on Tuesday evening was safely located with help from the Durango Police Department’s Drone as a First Responder program.
After officers learned the boy had walked away from the mall, a drone was deployed to search the area. Commander Nick Stasi, operating the drone, located the boy near the Animas River, where he was playing dangerously close to the water.
Commander Stasi kept visual contact and directed officers to the boy’s exact location. Officer Coleman safely reached him, and he was reunited with his mother.
A special shout-out to Commander Nick Stasi, Officer Coleman, and all the officers on the ground who helped search the area. Their teamwork helped bring this incident to a safe resolution.
This call is a powerful example of how drone technology can support officers during time-sensitive searches, especially when every minute matters.
Unused or expired medications can fall into the wrong hands or harm our environment if they are not disposed of properly. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a safe, anonymous way to turn in unwanted medications and help keep our community safe.
Join us for DEA National RX Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drop off your unused or expired medications at either of these Durango Police Department locations:
📍 Durango Police Headquarters — 990 E. 2nd Ave
📍 Durango Police Sub-Station — 545 Wilson Gulch Dr
We’ll also be accepting donations for @MannaDurango , including non-spoiled canned goods and hygiene products.
For more details and to learn more about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, visit the DEA’s official page: https://t.co/lYhXAySMHs
#TakeBackDay #DEATakeBack #DurangoPD #DrugTakeBack #CommunitySafety
Durango Police is honored to share this special opportunity for our community to lift up the dedicated telecommunicators of the Durango Emergency Communications Center during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 12–18, 2026. 📷
These are the people who answer the call on someone’s hardest day. They offer calm, compassion, and a steady voice in moments of fear and uncertainty, helping connect people to the assistance they need.
This year, the Communications Center is launching its first-ever Adopt a Dispatcher event, giving our community a chance to say thank you in a personal and meaningful way.
Businesses, families, and individuals can sign up to adopt a dispatcher, a shift, or the entire center with snacks, drinks, meals, gift cards, or handwritten notes of encouragement. Every gesture, no matter how small, helps remind these professionals that they are appreciated, supported, and never unnoticed.
Sign-ups are open now. Send a message to reserve your day and join us in showing gratitude for the voices who are always there when it matters most.
#TelecommunicatorWeek #AdoptADispatcher #HeroesBehindTheHeadset #PublicSafety #Dispatch #DurangoPolice