Live in a safer community
The Blue Feather Project
An ambitious 3-year project to make Red Feather Lakes among the safest
places to live in all of Larimer County by 2027
If you suspect criminal activity or suspicious behavior please call:
Larimer County Sheriff Non-Emergency Dispatch: (970) 416-1985
For Emergencies Dial: 911
The Project
What is the threat?
Colorado’s recidivism rate remains troublingly high — nearly 45% of individuals released from prison return to custody within three years.
This means many communities face recurring risks from individuals with prior convictions for burglary, assault, drug offenses, identity theft, and sex crimes.
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With no full-time law enforcement presence, widely scattered cabins and houses, and minimal traffic enforcement, RFL has long attracted individuals aiming to evade legal oversight. If parole-violators, unlicensed drivers, or unregistered sex offenders perceive RFL as a safe haven, it becomes a magnet for those looking to stay “under the radar.”
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Why deterrence is critical
Research shows that the certainty of being caught is far more effective at preventing crime than harsher penalties alone.
Law enforcement presence—whether actual patrols, speed traps, parole checks, or sex offender registration enforcement—increases the perceived risk of apprehension. That perception alone discourages crime because the offender knows they have a higher chance of being caught again.
For RFL, building a reputation for active enforcement means:
* Unlicensed drivers think twice before relocating from the Front Range;
* Parolees may not want to "get hammered" in public if they know people will report their conduct;
* Sex offenders won't delay registering their presence because law enforcement already knows where they are;
* Felons looking to shoot illegal firearms may weigh the odds of being caught on a game cam prior to donning a balaclava while shooting
In short, deterrence shifts the balance.
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When Red Feather Lakes is known as a place where parole conditions are enforced, unlicensed drivers are stopped and law violations reported, it discourages bad actors from ever showing up.
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The goal isn’t to chase anyone out — it’s to make clear that RFL isn’t the kind of place where rules are ignored.
Strength in Numbers
While recent years have brought a
noticeable increase in individuals relocating to Red Feather Lakes with active warrants and histories of drug use and distribution, the good news is habitual offenders represent only a small fraction of the population.
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The overwhelming majority of residents are law-abiding — and that’s where our strength lies.
When the majority stays alert and engaged, we can ensure that violations like driving on suspended licenses, drug activity, and trespassing don’t go unchecked.
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Our role isn’t to patrol or confront, but to observe, document, and report — working with authorities to hold the criminal minority accountable.
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In Wallingford, Conneticut, a town with fewer than 45,000 residents, increased resident reporting helped police investigate 2,246 suspicious activity reports in 2024. This uptick in community participation was directly linked to a measurable decline in both property and violent crime.
The strategy combined officer visibility, neighborhood reporting, and engagement with home security camera videos made available to police.
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As one Larimer County deputy noted, “I never caught a burglar who hadn’t first been seen trespassing — but neighbors chose to let it go.”
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Looking the other way might feel neighborly in the moment, but it often makes prosecution harder down the line. Vigilance today can prevent victimization tomorrow.
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When residents report even minor infractions, local law enforcement gains leads that evolve into real investigations and deterrence.
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Clear coverage, consistent follow-through, and visible community‑police collaboration shift the environment from “under the radar” to “watched and accountable."
Wise Approach
Local Expertise, Lasting Impact
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Red Feather Lakes is home to a significant number of retired law enforcement professionals—individuals who spent their careers detecting crime, guiding complex investigations, and building cases for prosecution.
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Their insight is more than background noise—it’s a powerful resource at our disposal.
The Blue Feather Project is proud to utilize this untapped resource, pairing retired officers with property owners to help safeguard homes, cabins, and trails. These experts share practical advice on what to notice, how to document it, and how to log it so it's useful to investigators or a District Attorney. Their goal? Putting the right information into the right hands—before it's too late.
How It Works -
In a nearby community, a retired county deputy volunteered to train locals on using game cameras and timestamped video for burglary investigations. When a string of cabin break-ins occurred, residents followed his tips—leaving cameras in key spots and logging suspicious nighttime movement. Within weeks, detectives reviewed the footage, matched a suspect's vehicle to DMV records, and secured arrests. Property owners later credited the sheriff: “His guidance turned our random watch into real evidence.”
That’s the power of local expertise turned collective action: retired professionals lending credibility and procedure to community vigilance. Whether it’s recognizing significance in a shadow on game cam or preserving license plate numbers, the investment pays off—often before any crime occurs
ABOUT US
You need to register to participate in this project
By registering you will get access to our local news updates, links to public databases featuring information regarding local crimes and the ability to communicate safely with friends and fellow property owners.
National social media sites do not well police their users thus allowing virtually anyone to post information or read your profile and make fraudulent comments.
The Blue Feather Project is locally managed by local property owners. We are less concerned with “political correctness” therefore do not restrict any content that is factual and already in the public domain via government websites thus you have the unvarnished truth.
Tolerating Smaller Crimes Leads To More Serious Crimes
There is a “broken window” theory in community policing that posits communities where vandalism, disorder and minor crimes are tolerated will eventually transform into communities where more serious crimes become common.
Rural Larimer County wasn’t under pressure 25 years-ago as it is today from the growing populations in the Front Range and frequency of visitors who don’t respect public or private property.
According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation violent crimes (homicides, aggravated assault, sex assault and robberies) increased in Colorado by nearly 20% between 2019 and 2021. Murder rose by nearly 50% during the same time period mostly due to increased drug crimes and auto theft is now the highest in the nation up by over 86% largely due to the Mexican Drug cartels that are now operating in the state. In fact, Colorado now leads the nation with over 4,000 car thefts in the state every month.
Larimer County crime heat maps often show RFL as a hotspot for crime depicted in red while large areas of urban Ft. Collins and Loveland are green showing little to no crime by comparison.
The Blue Feather Project’s objective is to make RFL green again
