Police address ongoing staff shortage, call it ‘manpower crisis’

A shortage of officers on the Pueblo police force continues to aggravate people in the community.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 first reported on Sunday that a woman named Margaret was assaulted in her home last week. She said the department said it would follow up and patrol her home once she was released from the hospital, but it wasn’t until KRDO NewsChannel 13 called police that someone came to her home.

“I’m really upset because if they would be doing their job like they should be doing, things like this wouldn’t be happening,” Margaret said.

Deputy Chief Troy Davenport said if the department had more officers, it may have been able to have followed up with her sooner.

“Potentially, we may have been able to have someone drop by there and check in on her. It’s very unfortunate that any of these kinds of things happen,” Davenport said.

The department is authorized to have 207 officers, but 14 of those positions have been unfunded for several years due to budget cuts.

“I do know that we do have a manpower crisis and concern,” Davenport said.

It’s a concern City Council President Steve Nawrocki plans to talk with council about during Tuesday’s budget meeting.

“If there’s 14 shortage of officers, that would be my goal is to be able to replace them as quickly as possible at least over the next two years,” Nawrocki said.

As for Margaret, she hopes a bigger police presence will prevent more people from being victims.

“It was awful. It isn’t anything I’d wish on anybody,” Margaret said.

There is some good news ahead for police. There are 13 recruits going through the police academy, but they won’t be able to start patrolling on their own until April or May.