Ask Golden

Thank you for the comment. You are correct, we have not yet updated the Guiding Golden page with information on the initial phase of the Colfax Project. The project overall has been met with significant delays and changes. While we are absolutely planning to provide updates to the Guiding Golden Project page prior to construction commencement, we are hesitant to provide that update until we are certain that the design will not change again due to requirements from other government agencies or any other circumstances. If you would like to discuss status of the project, please feel free to reach out directly to  jpuhr@cityofgolden.gov.

Thank you for your continued interest. 

We did reach out to Flock to ask this question and below is their response:

Flock's ALPR cameras capture a rapid sequence of still images as vehicles pass through their field of view, allowing the system to obtain a clear license plate image even when a vehicle travels at higher speeds. A useful comparison is the Live Photo feature on an iPhone, which captures a brief sequence around a particular moment. While the article describes recovering short video clips, that characterization can give readers the mistaken impression that these cameras operate as continuous video surveillance systems, which they do not. Additionally, the article's reference to approximately 1.6 million images reflects the number of images generated during the 21 days documented in the camera's activity logs, not the number of images stored on the device at one time. The distinction between images captured over time and information actually retained on a device is important to understanding how the system operates.

Regardless of the circumstances under which the camera was obtained or the article's characterization of the technology, Flock takes all security findings very seriously. We have developed and deployed security updates to address the identified vulnerabilities, including updates to the cameras' secure boot protections. Secure boot is a security mechanism that verifies the authenticity and integrity of the software running on a device when it starts, helping prevent unauthorized or modified software from being loaded. According to our current remediation figures, approximately 99% of our camera fleet has received the necessary security updates. The remaining cameras require physical hardware replacement, which is underway.

Importantly, the findings did not demonstrate unauthorized access to Flock's cloud environment or customer ALPR databases, but only to images temporarily stored on that particular camera and its activity logs. Flock cameras transmit captured images to the cloud for processing and storage, and images may be temporarily held on the device while awaiting transmission. This temporary storage is necessary for the camera to operate reliably, including during interruptions in cellular connectivity.

We recognize that cybersecurity requires continuous vigilance; therefore, Flock maintains an ongoing security testing and vulnerability management program. This includes independent penetration testing, most recently conducted by Bishop Fox in 2026, continuous security monitoring, and a public Vulnerability Disclosure Policy through which security researchers can report potential vulnerabilities. We also monitor published Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) to identify and address security risks affecting our systems. We remain committed to strengthening our security protections as new vulnerabilities and threats emerge.

There is a City Council Study Session on October 13th at 5pm, which is open to the public both in person and virtually. This study session is also recorded if you are unable to attend. We hope to address many of the questions posed by you and other community members during this study session.

If you would like a copy of the informational PDF about Flock prepared by the Golden Police Department, please email cityofgolden@cityofgolden.gov.

Thank you for your continued engagement. The policy we referenced is sitting with our legal department receiving minor edits but is currently in practice with regard to the audits and rules that exist around its usage. We appreciate all the additional questions and wanted to let you know that on October 13th at 5pm, we will be presenting at a City Council Study Session on Flock. We hope to answer all of these questions then and invite you to either attend (in person or virtually) or review the recorded study session at a later time. 

We completely understand your frustration, and this has unquestionably been a very busy year for construction, particularly on the east side of Golden. Unfortunately, maintaining and improving the streets, utilities, and other infrastructure needed to provide reliable City services requires construction, and sometimes multiple projects end up occurring within the same area and timeframe. Construction can also come in waves as infrastructure needs, available funding, private development, private utility upgrades, and project schedules align, so some years are much more disruptive than others. 

The City works to coordinate public and private construction schedules when possible to minimize the overall duration of impacts. We are hopeful that as this current group of projects is completed, the next few years will be considerably lighter. In the meantime, you can find road and construction updates in the weekly Golden Roundup newsletter, which you can sign up to receive by email or view online.

Thank you for reaching out about our use of Flock cameras and the data collected. We have taken steps to regulate our Flock usage, to include implementing a policy with parameters, guidance, rules and an audit process. Access is only given to sworn officers. Flock cameras capture a point in time image of the rear of a passing vehicle, including distinguishing features of the car. That information is automatically run through state and national law enforcement databases (in the same way officers run license plates in their patrol cars). We use the data collected by Flock cameras to help protect the community, prevent and investigate crime and to recover stolen property to return it to its rightful owner (amongst other things).

The Golden Police Department is committed to responsible use of this technology through clear policies, supervisory oversight, transparency, and accountability. We have auditable search logs and an audit process. We own the data and limit who we share information with to Colorado law enforcement agencies. We retain the data for 30 days only. In addition, we require officers to enter a valid law enforcement reason to access data.

We are launching a transparency portal for the community to have access to how we are using the system and for what purpose. That should be in place in the near future. We have 11 cameras that are owned by the Golden Police Department, but there are privately owned cameras, as well as cameras belonging to other law enforcement agencies in and around our city.

We continue to evaluate the benefits of Flock against the concerns of the public and will be hosting a study session with Golden City Council at an upcoming meeting. I hope you continue to engage in the discussion and share your perspective.

The City is still working through the priority projects identified in the noise analysis report done by Coffman Engineering. Based on the readings taken in 2023/2024, it appears that this neighborhood is near the top of the queue once those first priority locations are addressed. Staff and our engineering firm would likely start looking at ROW/property lines and working on conceptual design in 2028.

The City of Golden is developing and operationalizing an ongoing e-moto safety initiative focused on preventing serious injuries through education, community awareness, data tracking, and targeted enforcement.

The initiative focuses on helping residents better understand where different types of vehicles may legally operate and the safety risks associated with unsafe riding. Outreach efforts include ongoing social media messaging, Informer articles, school outreach, Bike to Work Day education related to e-bikes, National Night Out engagement, educational resources for parents and riders, signage in high-concern areas, and Creek Ambassador outreach.

The City is also coordinating across departments to improve reporting, monitor trends, and support appropriate enforcement when necessary. A dedicated reporting email address, emotosafety@cityofgolden.gov, has been established to help identify concern areas and track trends over time. While officers will not engage in dangerous pursuits related to e-moto violations, that should not be interpreted as a lack of enforcement, as riders and, when appropriate, parents or guardians may still be identified and cited.

The overall approach is intended to balance education, accountability, and public safety while encouraging safe and lawful riding behaviors throughout Golden.

We appreciate your continued interest in safety efforts in the City of Golden.

Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Yes, the City owns Tucker Gulch Trail and it is managed by our Parks department. You may direct questions to Kelsey Stansfield, Deputy Director of Land Management, Parks & Recreation, kstansfield@cityofgolden.gov. Thank you.

The County sent us a referral for comments many months ago, but the project does not appear on their project map on their website. Please contact JeffCo Planning to see if this is still an active project: https://www.jeffco.us/786/Planning-Zoning

Thank you for your inquiry.

Thank you for reaching out. That fence is maintained by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), so we don’t have jurisdiction over repairs there.

To submit a request for CDOT, you can use their online form here:

https://www.codot.gov/topcontent/contact-cdot/

Thank you again for the inquiry, we appreciate your concern.