This post is part of a series chronicling news coverage of rising prices in the United States. See more here.
CBS Colorado reports that the fuel price spikes are straining police and fire department budgets
Reporter: “You know, all of us have felt the pinch in our wallets when we go to the pump, but now our taxpayer dollars are also going to be stretched a little thinner as we try and support our first responders”
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Citation
From a May 14, 2026, video uploaded to the YouTube channel of CBS Colorado
MICHAEL SPENCER (CO-ANCHOR): Dillon, prices are so high that some police and fire departments are changing their policies in order to use less fuel.
DILLON THOMAS (REPORTER): All in an effort to try and save taxpayers' money. You know, all of us have felt the pinch in our wallets when we go to the pump, but now our taxpayer dollars are also going to be stretched a little thinner as we try and support our first responders.
Any given day, hundreds of first responder vehicles are patrolling our community roadways, providing a community service on a commodity that is spiking in price.
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CBS News Colorado obtained records from multiple law enforcement and fire agencies around northern Colorado, all of which showed a massive spike in fuel expenditures following the start of the war in Iran.
We obtained fuel expenses this year for Loveland and Fort Collins police, Larimer and Weld County deputies, and Loveland fire. The war in Iran started at the end of February. Comparing fuel expenses in February to March, agencies spent anywhere from 28-67% more at the pump. And when you compare January's expenses to April's, when fuel costs ballooned to over $4 for most, agencies saw their expenses expand anywhere from 45% for Fort Collins police, to 200% at Larimer County Sheriff's Office.