Dear Sheriff Johnson,

 I hope this finds you in good health and humor.  Summer has begun early, as you can well imagine. The deputies here have had their hands full. We appreciate everything they do.

 In particular, I’d like to acknowledge the efforts of Division Chief Jason Oehlkers and Sergeant Jen Mendez, who consistently respond to requests for public safety enforcement.

 With that in mind, I have a question and a request: 1) In researching drive cams, if I sink several hundred dollars into the Van True as it’s top-rated for reading license plates, will that matter in consideration of issuing violations? And 2) What’s the public safety plan for enforcement on the strip of Boulder Canyon (Nederland to Boulder) in light of intensifying dangers?

 I share of a recent incident occurring mid-Canyon below the old Starry Residence, which is becoming all too common:

 Monday around 5pm I was driving home (westbound) in a line of cars, all proceeding peacefully, with an occasional slowdown, which was the precipitating factor for the unlicensed black crotch rocket to dive out from behind the VW Jetta he was tailgating. As he revved up, he proceeded to dive in-and-out of a line of ten cars on the double yellow.

 He passed one, then two, motorists at a time, dashing between oncoming vehicles, until he raced to the front of the line.

 He disappeared below Boulder Falls. I caught him coming back down.

 All of this happened in the span of approximately six minutes.

 I share this not to entertain you, but to advise you that increasingly we are experiencing hazardous-to-lethal driving conditions. Many of us feel we literally take our lives into our own hands every time we drive Boulder Canyon.

 We understand the overwhelm and the demand, the lack of resources and/or support. And, however, we in the mountain community respectfully ask,

 What are your plans to address public safety issues in Boulder Canyon?

Motorcyclists clearly understand the dearth in law enforcement. They know the 5pm- 6pm shift change. Weekends up here are intolerable.  Boulder Canyon has become the motorists’ personal race course.

From Saturday and Sunday around 11am until dusk, the Canyon is populated with screaming, racing crotch rockets dashing in between recreationalists and tourists hoping for a break from the ills of urbanity and a bit of scenery.

Instead, they are often offended with oft-unlicensed and/or uninsured adrenaline jockeys tailgating, passing on the double-yellow, and dashing in-and-out of lines of cars.

Back to my original query about a drive cam:

Last year, as I was driving westbound into Nederland, a motorcyclist screamed past me on the double yellow. I caught a video, but the issue of identification of the rider became the reason he didn’t get a ticket.

Why? The registered owner might argue someone else was riding the bike. A personal appearance of the complainant is required.

Sheriff Johnson, we appreciate, once again, that you are prioritizing illegal burns and campfires, given the winter that didn’t happen, to keep our human and non-human homes as safe as possible.

I insist, with all due respect, that we continue to provide all the law enforcement available to mitigate the dangers of driving down Boulder Canyon to buy broccoli at King Soopers, or drive to a job down in the Tech Center. Such mundane undertakings shouldn’t feel as though we are never going to hug our rescue dog at the end of the day.

I’ll let you know how the Van True drive cam works out.

In gratitude and hopes for a better tomorrow,

Denise Boehler

Nederland