As your mayor, I believe there is no higher priority than ensuring the safety and security of our city. It’s a responsibility I carry with deep commitment every single day.
In this month’s column, I’m proud to highlight some of the significant strides and initiatives we’ve undertaken to strengthen public safety across Colorado Springs. These efforts reflect our shared values and determination to protect what matters most – our people, neighborhoods and future.
First, let’s talk about our police department. Our officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect us, and to do that well, they need strong support, not just in words, but in staffing, resources and community trust. That is why the Colorado Springs Police Department has made officer recruitment a top priority.
Since I took office in June 2023, we’ve hired 222 new officers, each moving directly from the Training Academy to Patrol.
Looking at staffing trends over the past seven years, it is clear that our city has been intentional in funding additional sworn positions, a strategic effort to keep pace with our city’s growth and maintain public safety at the highest standard.
Last year, we added 20 new positions. And I’m proud to share that earlier this month, thanks to our current recruit class, we crossed an important milestone: Colorado Springs now has more than 800 officers for the first time in our city’s history.
While this progress is worth celebrating, we also recognize we’re not where we need to be.
To meet the needs of our growing city and deliver the level of public safety our residents expect and deserve, we must continue to grow our authorized strength of sworn officers.
When we compare ourselves to similar-sized cities, it’s clear our police department is operating lean:
● Albuquerque – 1,140 officers
● Mesa, Arizona – 979 officers
● Omaha – 906 officers
● Colorado Springs – 839 officers
If we are truly serious about the safety of our neighborhoods, strengthening our ability to enforce the law, respond to emergencies and prevent worst-case scenarios, then we must stay committed to investing in and growing our public safety workforce.
One area I’m keeping a particularly close eye on is our Public Safety Communications Center.
Just last month, we celebrated National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, recognizing the incredible women and men who serve as the critical first point of contact during emergencies.
And I’m proud to share that we’re now the closest we’ve been to full staffing in our Communications Center since 2016.
As your mayor, I’ll continue to put public safety first.
When I took office, we had 79 staff members. Today, that number is up to 107, all working in one of the most high-pressure environments imaginable, to serve you better, faster and more efficiently. This is real progress, and it reflects our commitment to making Colorado Springs one of the safest cities in the country.
That brings me to my second focus area: Innovation.
Another way we are expanding our capacity to serve, without overextending our resources, is by leveraging technology as a force multiplier.
Two great examples are the Drone as a First Responder Program and the Real Time Crime Center.
Launched last year, the drone program allows the Police Department to respond to certain calls more efficiently and improve public and officer safety in real time. The average drone response time is just 2 minutes and 12 seconds.
Drones assist patrol officers and can even handle non-criminal incidents on their own, saving time, resources, and freeing up officers for more urgent calls. In 20% of cases, the drone is able to resolve the call without needing to dispatch an officer – a significant savings in time and resources. This year, we plan to expand the drone program even further.
The Real Time Crime Center is a specialized police unit staffed by analysts and detectives that supports officers with rapid operational intelligence, sourced from department records, law enforcement databases, and a variety of integrated technologies. I am excited to share that we’ve recently brought the Real Time Crime Center and the Communications Center together in the same location. This move will improve communication between teams and help our entire system work more smoothly.
Our fire department is also saving lives through innovation, most notably with its Whole Blood Program. In its first year, the program was used on 84 patients, with an 82% survival rate. That means 69 lives saved.
The most common reason for deploying whole blood? Traffic accidents.
On that note, I am pleased to report that traffic safety is another area where innovation and technology is making a positive difference.
We’ve deployed PhotoRed, a red-light camera program designed to reduce violations, crashes and injuries – at no cost to the City, since the program pays for itself. These cameras serve as force multipliers, helping officers focus on more critical needs while still holding drivers accountable. A couple great stats:
● At 18 of the 20 intersections with PhotoRed, traffic accidents decreased.
● Nearly 1,500 fewer red-light tickets were issued compared to last year.
That brings me to my third focus area: Enforcement. Let me be clear, our police officers would always rather educate, engage and encourage voluntary compliance than write tickets. We’re not here to punish, we are here to protect.
While we always aim for education and voluntary compliance, we are committed to enforcing the rule of law because safety and accountability matter. In Colorado Springs, we uphold the rule of law to keep our families, streets, and neighborhoods safe.
Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents. And let’s be honest, if people don’t believe there’s a chance they’ll get caught, they’re unlikely to slow down. That’s why I’m glad to share that traffic tickets are up nearly 12% over last year, including citations for speeding.
We are also cracking down on expired tags, an issue that has become a real frustration for many. So far in 2024, CSPD has written nearly 1,900 tickets for expired plates. In April 2025, we launched a 7-day enforcement campaign (April 20-26) and wrote 409 tickets in that week alone.
These targeted efforts are working, and you can expect more of them because when enforcement is fair, consistent and visible, it creates a safer, more respectful community for all.
Last but certainly not least, let’s talk about Prevention and Preparedness.
May was Wildfire Awareness Month, and we focused on how we prepare as a community. Our fire department launched its “Living with Wildfire” town hall series. These events are a great way for residents to learn how to protect their homes and families. I have personally attended one of these sessions, and it inspired me to revisit my own family’s emergency plan.
Of course, a major part of the City’s emergency preparation work is advanced evacuation planning. The Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management is taking a data-driven, locally focused approach that builds on lessons from past wildfires. Thanks to new artificial intelligence technology, we are able to model various evacuation scenarios with multiple inputs.
This is all part of a bigger vision of making Colorado Springs one of the safest cities in the country.
As your mayor, I’ll continue to put public safety first. Because at the end of the day, a great city is a safe city. And a safe city is a great city.
Onward and upward!
