Public Safety Commission  
Meeting Minutes  
Thursday, May 7, 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 Police  
Department.  
Call to Order and Attendance  
Chairperson Hammelman called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.  
7 -  
Present  
Richard Morton, Laurie Van Court, Andy Powell, Robert Dziubla, Trevor Knotts, Steve  
Thayer, and Clark Hammelman  
3 - Jack Cauley, Norris Croom, and Kim Stremel  
Attendance  
Approval of Meeting Minutes  
PS 2026-010  
Public Safety Commission Meeting Minutes - April 2, 2026  
Attachments: PSC Meeting Minutes 4.2.26  
Mr. Dzuibla moved to approve the April 2, 2026 meeting minutes. Ms. Van Court  
seconded the motion; the motion carried.  
8 - Goedecke, Morton, Van Court, Powell, Dziubla, Knotts, Thayer, and Hammelman  
Yes:  
Fire Department Report  
PS 2026-013 CRFD March Report  
Attachments: CRFD March Report  
Fire Department Report - Commission members were emailed a copy of the Fire  
Department’s March report prior to today meeting.  
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Chief Croom thanked community members and partners who attended the  
groundbreaking ceremony for Station 156 on April 8th.  
The Fire Department is conducting interviews for an Administrative Assistant  
position during the week of May 11th.  
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Staff also acknowledged the retirement of a Fire Examiner.  
Four firefighter candidates are scheduled to attend the West Metro Fire  
Academy this fall.  
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The Founders Village accidental house fire remains under investigation, with  
preliminary findings indicating a barbecue grill blown over by wind as the  
likely cause.  
Mitigation work has been completed in Metzler Open Space.  
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CRFD continues evaluating additional open spaces and tree-removal needs  
throughout the community.  
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Staff noted that not all dead tree species require removal, as some  
vegetation can provide natural firebreak value during mitigation  
planning.  
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Fire mitigation operations are ongoing within the Pinyon Soleil development  
area, including removal of beetle-kill trees across approximately 12 acres.  
Chief Croom discussed the department’s use of Pano AI, an AI-based  
wildfire detection system utilizing:  
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360-degree cameras  
Satellite data  
Real-time smoke monitoring  
Unlike infrared-only systems, Pano AI primarily uses smoke  
detection and AI analysis to generate alerts, allowing agencies to  
identify fires very early in development.  
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Douglas County agencies and partners, including Xcel Energy, are  
using the system to improve wildfire situational awareness and  
support faster deployment of resources during high-risk conditions.  
The technology is also proving valuable in wildfire cause-and-origin  
investigations.  
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Commission Member Knotts asked about the department’s standard  
wildfire response approach.  
Chief Croom explained:  
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Any wildfire occurring during Red Flag conditions automatically  
receives a two-alarm response.  
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The strategy is to aggressively attack fires during the earliest stages.  
Helicopters are deployed when available and necessary.  
State and federal resources are requested once local resources  
become fully committed.  
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Commission Member Dzuibla asked how fire-damaged buildings are  
determined to be safe or unsafe.  
Chief Croom explained that both the Fire Department and Building  
Department have authority to:  
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“Red tag” unsafe structures  
Or deem buildings structurally safe for Certificate of Occupancy  
(CO) issuance.  
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The Fire Department is updating its five-year strategic plan. The revised  
strategic plan will be integrated with the CRFD Master Plan to better align  
long-term operational and community objectives.  
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At this time, fireworks remain scheduled as part of the Town’s Fourth of July  
festivities.  
Chief Croom thanked outgoing Public Safety Commission members for their  
continued service, support, and contributions to public safety initiatives. He  
encouraged members to continue serving the community through other  
boards and commissions.  
Police Department Report  
PS 2026-014 CRPD March Report  
Attachments: CRPD March Report  
Police Department Report - Commission members were emailed a copy of the Police  
Department’s March report prior to today meeting.  
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Chief Cauley thanked all who attended the Police Department’s Awards  
Ceremony on Saturday, May 2nd.  
April arrest activity reflected continued proactive patrol and interdiction efforts  
throughout the community.  
Chief Cauley reported on newly passed legislation requiring mandatory lethality  
assessments during all domestic violence investigations. (HB26-1009)  
E-moto enforcement April 23rd:  
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5 written warnings issued.  
Officers contacted three full e-moto riders.  
Parents were contacted and educated regarding applicable laws and  
safety concerns.  
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Staff noted:  
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None of the contacted riders fled from officers.  
None had previous enforcement contacts related to illegal riding  
activity.  
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Recruitment opened for two Dispatch Supervisor positions on April 22nd.  
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Four internal candidates applied for the promotional opportunities.  
One dispatcher candidate is currently completing background  
investigations.  
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Amie Kirtley was promoted to Police Communications Manager on  
April 25th.  
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New Community Service Officer began employment on April 27th.  
The department introduced Ryker, a 16-month-old Dutch Shepherd imported  
from Germany, as its newest Police K9.  
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Ryker’s handler is MPO Matt Fuino.  
Ryker is dual-certified in:  
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Narcotics detection  
Patrol operations  
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Chief Cauley concluded the meeting with a presentation on the Police  
Department’s OPL (One-By-One Policing Leadership) program.  
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The program is focused on:  
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Developing leadership skills  
Improving organizational culture  
Reinforcing servant-leadership principles throughout the  
department  
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OPL emphasizes:  
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Employee growth  
Accountability  
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Communication  
Building a positive workplace culture that supports both  
employee wellness and operational excellence  
New Business  
Old Business  
Chairperson Hammelman expressed gratitude to the outgoing Public Safety  
Commission members for their dedicated service and continued support of the  
community, while also reminding the remaining commissioners of the upcoming  
volunteer interviews scheduled for May 12th and the need for the Commission to  
formally select a new chairperson.  
Commissioner Comments and Questions  
Adjourn  
Mr. Goedeke made a motion to adjour the meeting; Mr. Thayer seconded the  
motion. All were in favor.  
The meeting adjourned at 4:12 p.m.  
The next Public Safety Commission meeting is scheduled for June 4, 2026 at 3:00  
p.m.