Our employees innovate, make Larimer County a better place to live
The ideas that they come up with and turn into reality are astonishing. Larimer County employees are always looking for better ways to serve our community, bringing their dedication, effort, and inventive creativity to improve how we deliver services to our community.
Larimer County Innovation Awards are a celebration of the dedication our employees give daily to make our community a better place to live. Even with the best tools and equipment, Larimer County’s most prized asset is its employees.
This year, Larimer County employees did not disappoint and once again demonstrated their ingenuity at the annual Larimer County 2026 Innovation Awards.
Grand Prize Winner: T.R.O.U.T. [Tactical Repeater Offroad Utility Trailer]
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, and Larimer County IT: Brian Bizzigotti, Greg Tokarski, Tyler Allen, Clint Rosendale
The Tactical Repeater Offroad Utility Trailer is a mobile, off-grid communications device that extends Larimer County’s Public Safety radio coverage in remote areas where radio signals cannot reach. Emergency radio communication signals can’t penetrate mountains, especially in remote areas.
The TROUT was specifically designed and built in-house by the Larimer County IT Technical Communications team in partnership with the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Unit, combining radio repeaters, satellite connectivity, and independent solar power to create a reliable communications link between first responders and dispatch.
It’s deployable by a single person in minutes, and the TROUT improves responder safety, supports critical emergency operations, and provides a cost-effective, self-sustaining solution for incidents in challenging terrain. Watch how T.R.O.U.T. works.
Second Place Winner: L.I.N.K. [Larimer Integrated Network of Care]
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Larimer County IT, Community Justice Alternatives, Larimer County Attorney, Larimer County Human Services, and Larimer County Commissioners
Larimer Integrated Network of Care is a secure, shared data platform that connects behavioral health, justice, and human services partners to provide a more complete view of individuals receiving services across multiple systems.
By enabling coordinated, legally compliant information sharing, LINC helps providers and first responders make more informed decisions and improve continuity of care, while reducing unnecessary incarceration and enhancing community safety. Several Larimer County departments and SummitStone Health Partners collaborated on this platform. It’s designed to be scalable and built to support additional agency partnerships in the future.
Third Place Winner: Digital Evidence Case Weighting Methodology
Ray Daniel, District Attorney’s Office
Within the last five years, the influx of digital evidence -- body-worn cameras, drone footage, and citizen uploads – has evolved significantly in the administration of justice.
This innovation revealed that while raw case filings rose by only 15.5% between 2020 and 2025, the complexity-adjusted workload actually surged by over 68%, driven largely by a 177% increase in digital evidence.
By surfacing a hidden 114% workload spike for county court attorneys, this project secured immediate funding and established a transparent SQL-based dashboard that is now being shared as a national model through the National District Attorneys Association.
