Neha Patil (Editor)

Colorado Springs Police Department

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Abbreviation
  
CSPD

Population
  
445,830

Formed
  
September 2, 1872

Colorado Springs Police Department

Legal personality
  
Governmental: Government agency

Operations jurisdiction*
  
City of Colorado Springs in the state of Colorado, USA

Size
  
186.1 square miles (482 km)

The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is the central police department for the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado. CSPD was involved in the capture and surrender of several members of the Texas Seven.

Contents

Organization

The CSPD is headed by the chief of police, who presides directly over three main bureaus (each headed by a deputy chief):

  • Administrative Services Bureau - Provides logistical support. Administrative Services has three divisions: Information Services, Management Services, and Professional Standards.
  • Operations Support Bureau - Provides technical and expert assistance to the other two Bureaus. Operations Support has three divisions: Investigations, Metro Vice, and Specialized Enforcement.
  • Patrol Bureau - Responsible for routine patrol routes. Patrol is broken into four command areas, each representing a section of the city: Falcon Area (northwest), Gold Hill Area (central and southwest), Sand Creek Area (southeast), and Stetson Hills Area (northeast).

    • Decorations

  • April 30, 1888 - Hired first black officer, Horace Shelby.
  • December 1904 - Identified a homicide victim, Bessie Bouton, through the use of dental records - first time this was done in the U.S.
  • 1923 - Through collaboration of U.S. Assistant Attorney Rush Holland and Colorado Springs Police Chief Hugh D. Harper, were successful in transferring 50,000 fingerprint files from the International Association of Chiefs of Police and government fingerprint files being kept at Leavenworth Federal Prison to the Bureau of Investigation, thereby leading to the beginning of the first lab of the FBI.
  • April 1954 - Colorado Springs Police Chief Irvin B. "Dad" Bruce was sent to West Germany and West Berlin by the U.S. State Department, to assist in the organization of the police departments.
  • Citizens Award of Appreciation - Awarded to members of the general Colorado Springs public (not police officers) who have assisted police or performed heroic acts in order to help prevent or stop criminal activity.
  • Department Commendation - Awarded to CSPD employees performing acts that go beyond expected levels of performance and bring credit to the department.
  • Life Saving Award - Awarded to any CSPD employee who is directly responsible for the saving of a human life.
  • Medal of Valor
  • Purple Heart - Awarded to officers seriously or fatally wounded while on duty.

    • Controversy

    The Colorado chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union revealed that, in conjunction with the Denver Police Department, Colorado Springs police had been spying on residents involved in nonviolent protest activity.

    During the 2007 St. Patrick's Day parade, the CSPD arrested seven peace protesters in what was later alleged to be a somewhat brutal incident. All of the protesters were senior citizens. One of them, Elizabeth Fineron, was 66 and walked with the assistance of a cane. Ms. Fineron was dragged by police across the street after lying down in the road and refusing to move from the parade route, and suffered bloody abrasions from the incident.

    In September 2011, two CSPD officers issued a citation to Hooters and charged a 19-year-old waitress with a misdemeanor for giving alcohol to intoxicated customers. However, further investigation revealed that the officers had ordered beers and had visited two bars prior. Surveillance cameras also revealed that the customers do not appear intoxicated and able to walk without trouble. As a result, the case against the restaurant and waitress was dismissed. CSPD has denied the allegations, but Mayor Steve Bach has ordered an investigation into the officers' conduct.

    In October 2012, Officer Josh Carrier was found guilty of 34 counts of molesting boys at a middle school where he acted as a wrestling coach.

    Fallen officers

    Since the establishment of the Colorado Springs Police Department in 1872, 12 officers have died in the line of duty:

    Equipment

  • Smith & Wesson M&P in 9mm
  • Remington Model 870
  • Remington Model 700
  • AR-15
  • Heckler & Koch MP7

    • Other specialty weapons limited to certain situations.

    References

    Colorado Springs Police Department Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA