Police shut down neighborhood kickball game, cite two adults in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Two people in the historic Old North End area face charges of obstructing or interfering with traffic in connection with organizing a weekly street kickball game.

The game, involving families and kids, started in 2017 and has been played on the north end of Tejon Street where it dead-ends at Penrose Hospital -- an area that participants said has little traffic.

However, police said that they have responded to neighbors complaints during the past few months about the game being disruptive and potentially causing damage to yards and vehicles, along with concerns about players being hit by passing vehicles.

The game is played Mondays during the summer and involves dozens of people, but police said that they shut down the game this week after previously issuing friendly warnings.

"We've been trying to work with the neighborhood for several months," said Lt. Jim Sokolik, of the Colorado Springs Police Department. "We found that most of the kickball players don't even live in that block. At times, there's up to 100 people there."

The kickball group says that's not true.

The two adults cited for violating a city ordinance also could face more serious charges of child abuse or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, police said, if the game continues in the street.

Ed Snyder, one of the adults cited, said that he can't understand why police suddenly dropped their past support of the games.

"The confrontation went on for several hours," he said. "People were mad -- not only about what (police) did, but the way they did it."

Bronwen Buswell, another player, said the first sign of trouble was when an unmarked police vehicle arrived during Monday's game.

"They ended up turning on their siren, stepping out of their car wearing bulletproof vests , getting on the loudspeaker and telling us we needed to move one side of the road," she said.

Councilwoman Nancy Henjum (below) was present at Monday's game and said that she wasn't aware of the dispute between a larger group of neighbors playing kickball and a smaller minority opposed to it.

"It's not just a police issue," she said. "I'd like to see neighbors get together and resolve their differences. I'm still hoping that will happen. I'll help any way I can, if I'm asked to get involved."

Police have advised the kickball group to play in a park, or obtain a special-use event to continue playing in the street; the permit would cost $300 every week the group plays.

The municipal court date for the cited adults is August 30 at 1:30 p.m.