CSPD To Patrol South Nevada On Foot
COLORADO SPRINGS – Extra police are being brought to the South Nevada Avenue corridor starting next week, to begin foot patrols. The new service won’t cost taxpayers any money. Colorado Springs city councilman Jerry Heimlicher helped get the funding put together. Approximately $9,000 is needed. The South Nevada Merchant Association, along with The Broadmoor and developers Jim Rhue and Mark Morley are taking care of that two-month cost.
“There is no loser is we can reduce crime in that area,” says Heimlicher.
Heimlicher says The Broadmoor is contributing because South Nevada acts as an entranceway for the five-star resort. He says the two developers are involved to help make the area safer should they buy property and bring in new businesses
NEWSCHANNEL 13 asked Heimlicher if the developers would be given special preference if and when it comes time to sell property. He says if the foot patrols are successful, it could hurt the developers because the selling price from the current landowners will go up.
The foot patrols will start August 1st. Two cops will walk the streets for about five hours a night on Friday, Saturday and one other night of the week.
“They’ll park their squad car, they’ll be able to get out and walk,” says Rodeway Inn owner Bill Kenline. “They’ll have an eye on this section of Nevada much like our customers and our employees do, but they’ll be able to respond.”
Kenline, who’s motel is right across the street from the Cheyenne and Chief Motels, is tired of losing business based on people’s perceptions.
“We have people check in and if there’s no police activity across the street, then the first question is ‘how much is a room?’ But when there’s police over there, they don’t even ask how much it is, they just say, ‘is it safe?'” says Kenline. “By having a visual presence, it’ll have an impact on crime on South Nevada, that’s our hope.”
Kenline wants his customers and employees to feel safe coming to his motel.
“If I walk into a convenience store in an area of town where I think it’s not safe, but there’s a police officer there, I feel more comfortable,” says Kenline. “The people that are passing through, the people that are working in the area, it’ll elevate their comfort level.”
At the end of September, the merchant association will take a look at police statistics and figure out if they should pursue foot patrols full time.
For about two years, police have patrolled downtown Colorado Springs on foot.
“Nothing beats feeling safe other than seeing a lot of police on the streets, it just makes you feel more comfortable,” says Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs Executive Director Beth Kosley. “You know the bad guys look at the cops around and they know they’re being watched.”
The downtown patrols are funded through a special tax district around downtown. The funding for foot patrols runs out at the end of this year. The downtown partnership doesn’t know if the patrols will continue in 2009.
