Headlines Friday, May 29, 2026
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Citizens suing Boulder police over Flock cameras; Governor’s office lays off 100+ IT staff; Polis signs abortion medication on college campuses bill KGNU News
Citizens suing Boulder police over Flock cameras
Yesterday, two citizens filed a class-action lawsuit against the Boulder Police Department, alleging BPD uses Flock license plate cameras to illegally surveil people without probable cause.
The plaintiffs, Gwen Steel and William Freeman, argue the department’s use of its 31 Flock cameras violates the state constitution’s provision against searches and seizures without a warrant.
Freeman says he requested all Flock records of his own vehicle and was denied the records by police records specialist Dawn VanAckeren. The suit states she violated the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act.
The suit also notes that for three years, Boulder allowed law enforcement agencies outside of Colorado to see its Flock data. This included several agencies connected to ICE. In June 2025, after criticism from privacy advocates, Boulder limited that access to about 90 Colorado law enforcement agencies.
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn has said that Boulder does not share its Flock data with ICE. In fact, this comes as the Republican-led US House Judiciary Committee is demanding records about why Boulder Police have blocked federal immigration agents from searching the city’s Flock license plate camera data.
The committee sent six letters on Wednesday to law enforcement agencies and district attorneys in Denver and Boulder, demanding records of communications with ICE and other internal records related to immigration policies. Colorado District 8 Representative Gabe Evans was one of the congressmen who signed the letters.
City of Boulder Director of Communications Sarah Huntley said future arguments and perspectives about the class-action lawsuit will be made through court filings.
Governor’s office lays off 100+ IT staff
The Polis administration is laying off more than 170 people from the Governor’s Office of Information Technology. That’s about 15% of its workforce. The executive director of the state IT office is also stepping down. The shakeup follows criticism from lawmakers and negative feedback from the state auditor.
In a statement posted to its website Wednesday, the agency says it has “not delivered well enough” on the technology the public uses to access government services.
The state IT office supports the digital tools Coloradans use for things like managing unemployment benefits and accessing Medicaid. It’s also responsible for protecting the state’s digital systems from cyber-attacks.
Polis signs abortion medication on college campuses bill
Governor Polis signed a bill into law this week that supporters say will make it easier for students at Colorado colleges and universities to access abortion medication.
Starting in August of 2027, schools with on-campus pharmacies will have to keep mifepristone and misoprostol in stock. Campuses without pharmacies will be required to write prescriptions for the drugs.
The law will apply to both public and private schools, but those with religious affiliations can opt out.
Golden company awarded $220m for NASA moon base project
A space company based in Golden has won a $220 million contract with NASA for its moon rover. Lunar Outpost is one of two companies chosen for the mission. NASA will use its rover, Pegasus, in a plan to build a base for astronauts on the moon.
NASA’s phase one plan, released earlier this week, included a contract with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to provide landers to deliver the rovers, or “moon buggies” to the moon. The rovers will be used as transportation for astronauts expected to eventually set up infrastructure and a semi-permanent presence on the moon, with plans to arrive there as early as 2028.
Lunar Outpost has a test facility in Rye, Colorado.
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