Manitou Springs City Council approves PD to hire more security for coffin races, could limit future events

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - If you hit the shops in downtown Manitou Springs, there's a good chance you've seen a flyer urging the saving of the Emma Crawford Coffin Races. The coffin races started in 1995, and according to the City of Manitou Springs, it was the first of its kind.

So what's with these flyers?

On Tuesday night, the Manitou Springs Police Chief presented a plan to Manitou's Mayor and City Council that would address police staffing for major city events, like the coffin races.

"As events have grown in attendance and complexity, and as the national political environment has changed, the gap between available MSPD personnel and the number of officers needed to safely manage these events has widened," writes the memorandum paper published on the council agenda.

In the plan, Police Chief Bill Otto said he needed 15 more police officers to keep the coffin races safe.

"My own officers will come and say, Chief, I’m burnt out. You know, he had me working this and this, and this. We needed to do something. It should have been done a while ago. I think addressing this now, in a climate that we are--this country is in, we need to take it serious," Chief Otto said.

On Tuesday night, the council gave Chief Otto the go-ahead to hire 15 additional officers for the coffin races, but it won't be for free.

It will cost $9,600 to hire 15 Colorado Rangers for the 2026 coffin races, bringing the total to 25, and the council left the door open to hire even more security guards if the funds are available. The Colorado Rangers are the only statewide shared police reserve force.

Speaking of funding, the city council said Tuesday night that the $9,600 will be split between three pots:

• City funds
• Visit Manitou Springs
• A fundraiser

The fundraiser is being put on by the Penny Arcade on Saturday, June 13, starting at 2 p.m.

The Manitou Springs City Council said Tuesday, unequivocally, they will not be canceling the Emma Crawford Coffin Races.

However, the council did float the idea of limiting how many people come in from outside Manitou Springs. That won't happen for 2026, but the council said they would discuss it at future meetings.

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