Boulder Lost 118 Officers Since 2021 as Council Digs Into Public Safety
City Council • BoulderSeptember 24, 2026
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Boulder's police chief told the City Council on Sept. 24, 2026, that the department has lost 118 officers since 2021, and he named an aging headquarters and local housing costs as reasons officers leave. The three-part public safety study session also covered police oversight and the municipal court. It closed with a non-binding 8-hand straw poll backing a new council committee to oversee the city's sister city alliances.
- Police are 12 short of 190 authorized officers, with nearly 30 more not yet able to patrol solo.
- Property crime is down through August, but assaults are rising. Directed patrols are up 17% and traffic stops up 27%.
- Oversight panel leaders say new complaint "gateways" left them one review in six months. Code changes are expected after an October report.
- The municipal judge defended community court and said state law and a court ruling limit jail time for repeat campers.
- An 8-hand straw poll backed two-member committee oversight of sister cities, with annual reports and a 30-day cure period.
Why it matters: Short staffing limits how quickly police can respond. Half of Boulder's patrol officers have under five years on the job.
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