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Douglas County Division Chief outlines new two-step evacuation protocol and expanded alerts
Summary
Division Chief Joel White told the board that extreme fire danger prompted a simplified two-step evacuation protocol (Pre‑Evacuation Notice and Evacuation Order), deployment of high‑low sirens on patrol vehicles, expanded outreach to boost DougCo Alert enrollment and a new online non‑emergency reporting system.
Division Chief Joel White of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office briefed the board on heightened fire danger and steps the sheriff’s office is taking to improve evacuation and reporting.
White said the sheriff’s office has aligned evacuation policies with neighboring Front Range agencies and adopted a simplified two-step evacuation protocol consisting of a Pre‑Evacuation Notice followed by an Evacuation Order. He described deployment of a high‑low siren mounted on patrol vehicles, a prerecorded evacuation message, Douglas County alert notifications and door‑to‑door notifications as needed.
White urged residents to enroll in the voluntary DougCo Alert system and said outreach through social media and community engagement is under way to increase sign-ups. He also described an upgraded online reporting system that allows residents to file non‑emergency reports, upload documents, photos and videos and receive official case numbers 24/7; he emphasized that the system does not replace 911 for active emergencies.
White summarized recent significant incidents including an officer‑involved shooting, a vehicle pursuit and a road‑rage shooting at Quebec and Wildcat Ranch Road, and said vehicle thefts and burglaries are trending down despite isolated large incidents. He said license‑plate‑reader technology continues to be a critical investigative tool.
Board members asked questions; White answered and the board thanked him for the informative presentation.
