Teen in Court Tomorrow Following Aspen Arrest
An Aspen teenager will appear in court tomorrow to face four charges...including Obstructing a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest, Underage Possession of Marijuana and Underage Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Police say the boy resisted arrest after an officer allegedly saw him with marijuana at a bus stop near the school campus. He was taken down forcefully by two officers and a civilian. Videos taken by students at the scene show the altercation.
CO Sheriff’s Answer Federal Money Question
A statewide Sheriff's association says it wants to clarify details in a US Department of Justice review. The DOJ released an audit Friday showing a lack of accountability at sheriff’s offices around the state. The federal agency alleges about $700,000 in grant money was misspent on purchases including sweatshirts and taking spouses to dinner.
The grant money was meant for an automated service that tracks criminals in jail and alerts victims of any changes in an offender’s status. Pitkin County does use the service and is following up to see if it has been affected. The county provides its own notifications for victims.
APD Testing Body Cameras on Officers
For almost two years, Aspen Police officers have been testing body-mounted cameras. The experiment is still a work in progress.
With trust in policing across the country waning, the idea behind the cameras is to record officers’ interactions with the public from law enforcement’s point of view. It could have proven useful for officer Adam Loudon when he made a controversial arrest of an Aspen High School student earlier this month. There is video of the take-down captured by students at the scene, but it doesn’t show the entire interaction. Aspen Police department spokesperson Blair Weyer.
“So I think any time we have more information that helps paint a picture of what happened at a given incident, it’s helpful…whether it be the incident last Friday, or you know anything our officers deal with and we are always looking to have the best tools to help us paint a clear picture of what’s going on. Video is a very good tool, you know, one of many that can help officers in those types of situations.”
A handful of officers use the cameras, which can be worn on a ball cap or a shirt.
The department has two of the devices that were purchased for $500 each. There is no plan to purchase more at this time.
Basalt Grows Arts Opportunities
A new performing arts center at Willits and an expanded Wyly Community Art Center may be the result of a new emphasis on arts in the Mid-Valley. In its effort to revitalize downtown, Basalt Town government has asked the arts community to refine a plan that aims to make Basalt an art “mecca.”
The Wyly Community Art Center is partnering with TACAW, or the The Arts Center At Willits to develop an art campus in Basalt. In Willits, a so-called “west campus” would include a proposed 10,000 square foot performing arts center. TACAW Board President Julia Marshall says Basalt is poised for such a facility.
“Basalt’s proximity to Aspen and the opening of Whole Foods, and people feeling like they can make it beyond the roundabout. There is a sense that one could have a critical mass of visitors who would use these facilities.”
The Wyly would be the “east campus” downtown, where its visual arts programming might expand into existing buildings such as Town Hall. Already, the organization has opened a gallery in an empty storefront. Executive Director Kelly Alford says the idea is to use arts as a “vehicle for economic development.”
“Perhaps we spawn new arts entrepreneaur businesses through some of the things we’re doing, or new galleries. We see the arts as feeding the population that’s already there, but also creating economic transformation.”
A feasibility study due to be complete in April, will give guidance on whether the group’s current plan is a good one, or if needs tweaking. The arts effort follows community input from a survey and the Our Town planning process that shows residents favor an arts expansion.
