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Pueblo Police Chief says crime bills in previous legislative sessions were ‘soft on crime’

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- As the 2022 legislative session began Wednesday, Pueblo Police Chief Steven Noeller is hoping for the introduction of new crime bills that correct laws passed in previous legislative sessions.

"The legislation that has been passed in the last two years, in particular, has not been helpful for lowering crime," Noeller said.

In 2021, every category of crime was up in Pueblo. The city had 29 homicides for the year, which is more than the previous three years combined: seven in 2018, eight in 2019, and nine in 2020.

"If people are arrested on other crimes, they can't commit homicides out on the streets while they are in custody. We have had a number of individuals that were suspects in our homicides this year, 13 of them have gang ties. Several of them have multiple felony arrests," Noeller said.

Noeller is focused on three areas he says need some work: misdemeanor reform, bond reform, and parole reform.

"I'd like to see some legislation passed that addresses some of the soft-on-crime bills that have been passed in previous legislative sessions," Noeller said. "I'd like to see some legislation passed that makes our community safer."

In particular, Senate Bill 21-271 dropped a previous felony charge for stealing between $1,000 to $2,000 of goods to a class 1 misdemeanor.

"Jails won't take misdemeanor charges, except in unusual circumstances, and if you take away that second-degree burglary felony charge, I've got a guy that's going to one particular store over and over again committing theft. I've got to keep issuing him tickets," Noeller said.

Noeller told KRDO that his conversations with Pueblo's lawmakers have been sparse since he became police chief. He has reached out to them multiple times to express his concerns with laws passed in Denver, but to this point, not much has come of it.

"I think we are going too far in the direction of passing legislation which makes it where we are taking into account the suspect or the offender and not the victim in the community," Noeller said.

Noeller said he is keeping a close eye on legislation pertaining to liabilities of being a police officer as well as bills that will address mental health resources for his officers. He hopes these issues will be addressed in the 2022 legislative session.

"I will be reaching out to our representatives. I have had a dialogue with one of them in recent weeks, which gives me hope that we can continue moving forward and come to a mutual agreement on bills that make sense for our state and our community," Noeller said.

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Sean Rice

Sean is reporter with the 13 Investigates team. Learn more about him here.

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