ACC

A Fleeing Theft Suspect on Santa Fe Drive Puts ACC's Littleton Campus Into 'Secure' Mode for 51 Minutes

Thursday, November 16, 2023COpolice activityemergency notificationmedium confidence

Under Investigation

On the evening of Thursday, November 16, 2023, Arapahoe Community College's police department issued a 'Secure Alert' at 6:10 p.m. MST because of police activity just west of its Littleton campus. Officers were pursuing a theft suspect who had fled a traffic stop along South Santa Fe Drive and South Sumner Street. The Secure Alert was deactivated at 6:53 p.m. and an all-clear followed at 7:01 p.m. MST.

Alerts: 2
Response: —
Killed: —
Injured: —

Institution

Arapahoe Community College

Community College · CO

~13,000 studentsACC Secure Alert

Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMSNov 17, 2023, 1:10 AM MST

Approximate reconstruction192 chars

ACC SECURE ALERT: Police activity is occurring west of the Littleton campus. SECURE the building: stay inside, away from windows and exterior doors. This is not a drill. Await further updates.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

A 'Secure' posture keeps people inside and away from the building perimeter without the full lockdown of an on-campus threat — appropriate here because the danger was a fleeing suspect off-campus, not an attacker inside.

Reconstructed wording; the student newspaper reported the 6:10 p.m. Secure Alert and its cause but did not publish the exact text.

ALL CLEARSMSNov 17, 2023, 2:01 AM MST+51 min

Approximate reconstruction191 chars

ACC ALL CLEAR: The Secure Alert for the Littleton campus has been lifted. Police activity in the area has concluded and it is safe to enter and exit buildings. Thank you for your cooperation.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The Secure Alert was deactivated at 6:53 p.m. MST, but the formal all-clear permitting normal movement came eight minutes later at 7:01 p.m. — a deliberate two-step lift.

Reconstructed wording; the all-clear time and 'safe to enter and exit' framing come from the student newspaper account.

Context

Background

Arapahoe Community College's main campus sits along South Santa Fe Drive in Littleton, Colorado, adjacent to corridors that see regular vehicle traffic and occasional police pursuits. On November 16, 2023, The Arapahoe Pinnacle reported that ACC Police issued a Secure Alert at 6:10 p.m. MST due to police activity west of campus, after a Douglas County Sheriff's traffic stop ended with a theft suspect fleeing on foot near South Santa Fe Drive and South Sumner Street. Officers — joined by the Littleton Police Department — searched Hudson Gardens, the Denver Seminary, and the Platte River trail and deployed a drone, but could not find the suspect. The Secure Alert was deactivated at 6:53 p.m. and an all-clear sent at 7:01 p.m. MST. ACC's campus safety and police office runs the Secure Alert system used for these messages.

Analysis

Key Findings

ACC used a 'Secure' posture rather than a full lockdown because the threat — a fleeing suspect — was off-campus, demonstrating graduated alert levels

The campus issued a precise two-step lift: deactivation at 6:53 p.m. MST followed by a formal all-clear at 7:01 p.m. MST

An off-campus police pursuit drove a 51-minute campus alert, showing how adjacent-street incidents reach onto campus through Clery emergency-notification practice

Outcome

Despite searching Hudson Gardens, the Denver Seminary, and the Platte River trail and deploying a drone, officers could not locate the suspect and abandoned the search. No injuries on campus were reported.

Provenance

Sources

Student Paper
Campus Police Initiate Emergency 'Secure' Response - The Arapahoe Pinnacle
arapahoenews.com
Official
Campus Safety and Police - Arapahoe Community College
arapahoe.edu

Alert Sequence

Background

Key Findings

Sources

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