A suspicious white powder – later determined to be baking soda – was found spread around the Durango Police Department, La Plata County Courthouse and other buildings early Tuesday in downtown Durango.
The police station and courthouse were closed while authorities investigated. It appeared early on as if the white powder may have been baking soda, but authorities were operating cautiously until a hazmat team could analyze the substance for the presence of hazardous materials, said DPD Chief Bob Brammer.
It appears the powdery substances was sprinkled about town on at least two different occasions. A nearly empty 10-pound bag of Arm & Hammer baking soda was found discarded Monday morning near the Herald building. Video surveillance showed the powder being spread in front of the main entrance about 6:20 p.m. Sunday.
Law enforcement encircled the police station and courthouse with crime tape Tuesday morning.
Police had video surveillance of a suspect spreading the powder early Tuesday, said Cmdr. Jacob Dunlop, with the Durango Police Department.
No arrests had been made as of 9:30 a.m., he said.
“If we find the person we’re looking for that we think it might be, it shouldn't be too hard to match him up,” Dunlop said. “But we can’t positively ID the person from the footage alone.”
Possible charges for sprinkling a non-harmful substance could include interruption of government services, among others, Dunlop said. The charges for sprinkling a harmful substance would be much more severe, he said.
“It’s a fine white powder that’s obviously intentionally spread on the door handles and access points and on the ground at all of the entrances to the police department and county courthouse,” Dunlop said.
Police also found the white powder spread near the entryway to the First United Methodist Thrift Store at 986 East Second Ave., which is next door to the police station.
The Durango Fire Protection District used a portable mass spectrometer to analyze whether the white substance contained any hazardous chemicals.
The FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigation were assisting with the investigation.
shane@durangoherald.com
