Colorado license plate reader network helps authorities
locate Utah suspect in alleged triple homicide
Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police highlights role of shared technology in apprehension
MARCH 5, 2026 — The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) today highlighted the role of license plate reader technology in helping law enforcement apprehend a suspect today accused in a violent homicide investigation.
According to authorities, investigators used license plate reader alerts to help determine the path of a stolen vehicle believed to be connected to the killings of three women in southern Utah. The suspect was later located and arrested in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and is being held on a concealed weapon charge after authorities reported finding a handgun and a large knife in his possession.
The case illustrates how shared public safety technology can help law enforcement quickly coordinate across jurisdictions when serious crimes occur.
Late last evening, the Durango Police Department received an alert that a vehicle connected to a homicide investigation had been detected by cameras in the Four Corners region. Because the department participates in a regional license plate reader network, officers were able to access the alert and quickly analyze the vehicle’s movements.
Using the system, officers identified multiple camera detections showing the vehicle traveling through Farmington and Aztec, New Mexico, and moving toward Durango. Additional data indicated the vehicle had already passed through the area and appeared to be continuing toward Pagosa Springs.
Durango officers immediately relayed the information to the Pagosa Springs Police Department and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities later located the stolen vehicle in Pagosa Springs, where the suspect fled on foot. The individual was ultimately apprehended with assistance from a drone and a K-9 unit.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the suspect is accused of killing a woman in Wayne County, Utah, stealing her vehicle, and later killing two women hiking near Capitol Reef National Park before fleeing in one of their vehicles.
Law enforcement officials say the ability to quickly identify and share vehicle information across jurisdictions helped accelerate the search.
“This case shows how important it is for agencies to be able to share information quickly when violent crimes occur,” said Durango Police Chief Brice Current, a CACP member. “Technology like license plate readers gives investigators critical leads that can help locate dangerous suspects and protect communities.”
The importance of such tools has been demonstrated in other investigations as well. In one Durango case, a shooting suspect fired a shotgun at another individual in a public park, with pellets striking a nearby vehicle carrying an infant. The suspect vehicle was never identified, in part because a nearby camera had not yet been installed at the time.
“These technologies can mean the difference between identifying a suspect or losing a critical investigative lead,” the chiefs association said.
The association emphasized that law enforcement leaders remain committed to balancing public safety with privacy protections.
Law enforcement leaders say the Durango case demonstrates how these tools can play a vital role in identifying suspects and preventing further harm.
“When violent crimes occur, time matters,” said Chief Chris Noeller, president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. “Tools that help law enforcement share information quickly across jurisdictions can be critical to locating dangerous suspects and keeping communities safe.”
The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police is a professional organization dedicated to supporting law enforcement leaders and enhancing public safety for the communities they serve. CACP represents 125 agencies across the state.
Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police Opposes Senate Bill 26-070
Senate Judiciary Committee to Hear Bill Feb. 23 in Old Supreme Court Chambers
What: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Senate Bill 26-070
When: Monday, Feb. 23, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Old Supreme Court Chambers, Colorado State Capitol
“Governor Polis has set a goal of making Colorado one of the top 10 safest states in the nation. The tools addressed in Senate Bill 70 are critical to achieving that goal — helping us locate missing people, solve crimes and dismantle criminal networks. We support safeguards that protect individual rights; privacy and public safety must coexist. But Senate Bill 70 isn’t that. It adds delays when time matters most, requires warrants for basic public roadway data — information visible to anyone driving down the street — and forces destruction of evidence. Missing persons cases, sexual assault and organized auto theft investigations unfold over time. Senate Bill 70 slows investigations, fragments regional coordination and puts justice on a clock.” — Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police
Key public safety concerns include:
Delays at the earliest stages of investigations
Senate Bill 70 bans law enforcement from accessing location data more than 24 hours old without first obtaining a warrant, with only narrow exceptions. In practice, that creates a maze — not just a few bureaucratic hoops — for investigators who often begin cases with breadcrumbs of information: a partial license plate, a vague vehicle description, or limited identifying details. That’s typically not enough to establish probable cause for a warrant. And securing a warrant can take days or longer, depending on case complexity and court availability. Meanwhile, leads go cold, missing people remain missing and suspects slip away.
Destruction of evidence
The bill calls for destruction of historical location data after four days. Critical data could be erased before investigators know they need it, affecting cases involving homicide, sexual assault, missing persons, organized theft and internal investigations. Serial crimes, including rape, burglary series, vehicular homicide, often require time to identify patterns and connect cases across jurisdictions.
Fragmented investigations across jurisdictions
Senate Bill 70 restricts agencies from sharing historical location data unless they first obtain a warrant or meet narrow exigent exceptions. Auto theft rings, trafficking routes, violent suspects and missing persons cases routinely cross city and state lines — particularly in border regions like the Four Corners where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona meet. Requiring additional procedural steps before sharing time-sensitive information slows coordination and fragments investigations when speed is critical.
Narrow exigent exceptions
The bill allows access to data without a warrant only with consent or in narrowly defined exigent circumstances — situations requiring immediate action to prevent serious harm or preserve evidence. Many real-world cases involve escalating risk that does not yet meet that strict threshold, such as a stolen vehicle linked to domestic violence threats. By limiting access to only the most extreme immediate emergencies, the bill forces officers to wait until harm is imminent, creating delay and increasing uncertainty in the field.
Safeguards already exist
Existing state law already governs the use of technologies such as facial recognition and license plate readers, including prohibitions on tracking lawful activity. Agencies statewide further restrict access and conduct audits.
Amy Fletcher Faircloth for the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police
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