Richard Morton

Trevor Knotts

Public Safety Commission

Meeting Minutes

Robert Dziubla

Andy Powell

Laurie Van Court

Steven Goedecke

Steve Thayer

Clark Hammelman

Thursday, January 8, 2026

3:00 PM

Castle Rock Municipal Courtroom

100 Perry St., Castle Rock, CO 80104

This meeting is open to the public. Please note that all times indicated on the agenda are approximate and

interested parties are encouraged to be present earlier than the posted time.

The Public Safety Commission meets monthly at the Town of Castle Rock Fire & Rescue Headquarters or the

Police Department.

Call to Order and Attendance

Chairperson Hammelman called the meeting to order at 2:58 p.m.

6 -

Present

Trevor Knotts, Richard Morton, Robert Dziubla, Laurie Van Court, Steve Thayer, and Clark

Hammelman

2 - Andy Powell, and Steven Goedecke

Not Present

Attendance

4 - Laura Cavey, Oren Bersagel-Briese, Jack Cauley, and Kim Stremel

Approval of Meeting Minutes

Mr. Morton moved to approve the December, 4 2025 minutes. Ms. Van Court

seconded the motion; the motion carried.

6 - Knotts, Morton, Dziubla, Van Court, Thayer, and Hammelman

Yes:

2 - Powell, and Goedecke

Not Present:

PS 2025-033

CRFD November Report

Attachments: CRFD November Report

Fire Department Report

Chief Bersagel-Briese invited Commission members to attend the Castle Rock

Fire Department (CRFD) Awards Dinner. Commission members are asked to

RSVP to Lori Kania at the Fire Department.

NERIS Update

The Chief provided an update on the National Emergency Response Information

System (NERIS), a software system developed by UL Laboratories and the Fire

Safety Research Institute. NERIS is a national reporting database required by

FEMA, and participation is necessary for agencies to remain eligible for grant

funding. The system generates real-time data for the fire service and is anticipated

to add only a few minutes to call reporting.

Commission Member Morton asked whether CRFD receives grant funding. The

Chief confirmed that CRFD does receive some grants, including funding for

LUCAS devices used with breathing apparatus. Grant applications are reviewed by

a scoring and evaluation team.

Fire Conditions and Operations

Dry weather conditions continue to increase fire danger, and the long-term

forecast does not indicate significant moisture increases in the near future.

Blasting operations are occurring in the Ridge and Plum Creek areas as part of

residential development. These activities are monitored by the Fire Department.

Station 156 and Apparatus Updates

Station 156 continues to progress as planned.

Financing is expected to be finalized within the next month.

The project is anticipated to be presented to Town Council between

mid-February and March.

Final acceptance of Pierce apparatus is expected in February.

Estimated completion of Station 156 is summer 2027.

Personnel are in place to staff the new station.

Training, Staffing, and Leadership Development

Command staff will attend leadership training during the week of January

12.

A leadership consultant is scheduled to begin work with the department in

February.

The department is launching a professional development initiative focused

on soft skills over the next several months.

A transition academy for newly graduated fire academy recruits began in

January. They will move online later in the month.

Due to improved/early staffing levels, four firefighters will be sent to

paramedic school.

The new Division Chief of Logistics began on January 5.

Firefighter/Paramedic Mike Zukowski retired in December after 26 years of

service with CRFD.

2025 Year-to-Date Statistics

Overall call volume increased by 4.6%, consistent with the past three

years.

96 fire incidents

Approximately 4,700 EMS incidents

Station 154 had the busiest engine, responding to approximately 2,400

calls.

Firefighters train an average of three hours per day, totaling more than

10,000 in-person training hours department-wide.

The Life Safety Division completed approximately 2,350 inspections.

EMS and Community Response

The department is addressing a significant number of EMS calls originating from

the Banyan Treatment Center. The EMS Chief is working collaboratively with

Banyan, Douglas County, and local officials to ensure appropriate patient intake

processes.

The Co-Responder Team (CRT) continues to be a valuable resource, particularly

for community members with frequent and repeat contact with emergency

services.

Communications and Staffing During High-Risk Periods

The Chief addressed questions regarding firefighter communications, noting that

while personnel can communicate effectively, there are opportunities for

improvement through the use of mobile data terminals (MDTs) and Bluetooth

technology.

Commission Member Knotts asked about staffing during high-risk periods such as

fireworks usage around the New Year. Chief Bersagel-Briese reported there were

no major fireworks-related incidents on New Year’s Eve. During periods of

elevated wildland fire danger, CRFD increases staffing by deploying a brush truck.

PS 2025-034

CRPD November Report

Attachments: CRPD November Report

Police Department Report

Recruitment and Staffing Updates

The Police Department is currently conducting a lateral police officer recruitment

to fill four to five positions.

Commission Member Morton asked about cost savings associated with lateral

hires. Chief Cauley explained that the primary benefit is the ability to deploy

experienced officers to the field more quickly. Lateral officers typically complete

field training faster than academy graduates, allowing them to serve the

community sooner.

In December, CRPD welcomed 12 new employees, including six academy

graduates and six lateral hires. Due to the high number of members currently in

training, residents may notice patrol vehicles staffed by two officers.

Eight staff members who were promoted in December officially assumed their

new roles on January 3.

Community Programs and Engagement

The annual Heroes and Helpers event was held at Walmart on December 13.

Through donations, the program supported more than 200 children and their

families this year.

The department has also found that pickup trucks used by officers have been

beneficial for community policing efforts and offer quicker delivery times compared

to traditional patrol vehicles.

Crime and Enforcement Updates

A bank robbery suspect, Octavio Rivas Morales, was sentenced to 22 years in

prison for the September 2024 armed robbery of a Castle Rock bank.

The Special Response Team (SRT) made several successful organized retail

crime arrests during the holiday season.

Commission Chair Hammelman asked about the number of traffic stops versus

tickets issued. Chief Cauley explained that not every traffic stop results in a

citation, as officers often use stops as educational opportunities rather than

enforcement actions.

Commission Member Knotts inquired about the single “robbery” statistic reported

in the October monthly report. Chief Cauley clarified that the incident met the

statutory definition of robbery under Colorado law but was not an armed robbery.

Animal Control and Reporting

Commission Chair Hammelman asked whether veterinarians are required to

report dog-on-dog bites. Chief Cauley explained that veterinarians are only

required to report dog bites involving humans.

Officer Wellness and Mental Health Services

Commission Member Van Court asked about mental health services available to

police staff. Chief Cauley explained that the department contracts with multiple

providers to support employee wellness. Services include mandatory annual

mental health check-ins (conducted in person or virtually), critical incident

debriefings, and individualized counseling for members requiring additional support

following major incidents.

Traffic and Technology Updates

The department continues to enforce regulations related to electric scooter use

and emphasized the importance of parents understanding and educating youth on

traffic laws.

Two police drones are currently operational, with plans to add an additional drone