Manitou Springs tabs interim police chief for full-time role

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Manitou Springs has selected Bill Otto to be the new chief of police after a brief search.

Otto, who has been interim police chief since the tumultuous departure of former chief Brian Churchill, was the lone applicant for the chief position when the City of Manitou Springs posted the job, according to a news release sent Friday.

Before being named interim chief in 2021, Otto had served MSPD as a detective starting in July of 2020. Otto also spent 20 years at the El Paso County Sheriff's Office before retiring as a sergeant for the Major Crimes Unit in 2018.

We had asked Manitou Springs Mayor John Graham about the delay in choosing a new chief of police in the fall of 2021, and he said city council was waiting until the new year to post the job.

“I am excited to continue to serve the Manitou Springs community, and to continue my career with the City of Manitou Springs. The Manitou Springs Police Department is in the best position it has ever been. We have dedicated officers who are committed to community policing and, in the past year, have implemented over 50+ policies and procedures to support the longevity of our Police Department,” Otto said in a statement.

Former chief Churchill resigned after an investigation spanning across several months. We were denied access to internal records about the investigation, and a denial letter from the city clerk cited a state law that only appears to relate to sexual harassment investigations and complaints. No charges were ever filed, but no city leaders would speak to KRDO about the investigation or why Churchill resigned.