Colorado Springs residents have expressed their desire for more engaged and community-oriented policing during a meeting with city officials on August 30 at Penrose Library in downtown Colorado Springs.

The meeting was held as part of ongoing efforts to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the public.

Around 10 residents joined members of the Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission at the library to share their thoughts and concerns regarding the Colorado Springs Police Department.

The advisory commission, formed in June 2020 by the city council following nationwide police reform protests that summer, pledged to use the feedback to inform its future recommendations to the city council.

According to city officials, while the commission does not possess direct oversight of the Colorado Springs Police Department, it serves as a platform for making recommendations to the city council, which holds the discretion to act upon them.

Since its establishment, the advisory board has made several recommendations, including increasing funding for crisis response teams for individuals in mental health crises, supporting calls for changes in the department’s use-of-force policies — as recommended by a third-party consultant — and addressing police recruitment and retention, response times and technological upgrades in the city council’s 2024 budget.

During the Wednesday gathering, participants engaged in small roundtable discussions facilitated by members of the advisory commission.

Some of the key points raised included the need for enhanced police engagement with the community, ensuring the police department can meet public safety demands as the city grows, and streamlining officers’ responsibilities so they can focus on policing rather than attempting to perform the roles of mental health professionals.

One resident, Chineta Davis, called for the need of a different perception of the police by the community.

“I would feel safer if police presence wasn’t a police officer in a car giving out a ticket. We don’t want to look at our police like they’re just there to give us a ticket or they’re only concerned about people who are breaking the law. Make people feel like (police) are there to protect them,” Davis said.

Silena Taylor suggested better training for police in handling service calls in a non-hostile manner.

“You don’t need to be macho or come across as, ‘I’m in charge.’”

She also pointed out the differing experiences people have with the police based on their race.

In response, Chris Burns, an advisory commission member and former Colorado Springs police officer, noted that the responses of younger officers with less than five years of experience can differ significantly from those of more seasoned officers.

Addressing concerns about officer attrition, Burns acknowledged that retaining experienced officers could be a challenge.

“We’re losing a lot of our longer-term officers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Maryah Lauer suggested that armed police officers should not be responding to crisis calls related to mental health issues, advocating for the hiring of specialized professionals for such tasks.

“The answer is not to train (law enforcement) to do more. It’s to hire professionals who can do those jobs,” Lauer told the commission.

D’Ontay Roy, the chairman of the advisory commission, said members were committed to exploring recommendations for increased funding for crisis response teams.

Additionally, the commission expressed its intention to conduct more frequent town hall meetings with the community to gather ongoing feedback on policing matters.