COLORADO SPRINGS — On Thursday morning, members of the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) blocked off the parking lot to Dorchester Park on South Nevada.
A spokesperson for the city confirmed the closure happened at CSPD’s request and mentioned there is no timeline to reopen the lot.
According to CSPD, their Downtown Area Reponse Team (DART) received a tip in May regarding the distribution of narcotics in the park. In addition, CSPD said DART also received numerous complaints of “increased violent activity” along the S Nevada Corridor.
The park, bordered by S Nevada Ave to the south and I-25 NB to the west and north, has proved problematic to law enforcement for years.
The area is routinely used as living and gathering space for people experiencing homelessness. Police regularly deal with drug use and respond to violence there, as well.
Most recently, CSPD said its officers witnessed “several hand-to-hand narcotics transactions in the east parking lot.
During this targeted campaign, CSPD said it made a large number of arrests, including:
27 various misdemeanor arrests from warrantsFour various felony arrests from warrantsSeven misdemeanor citations served for drug activityTwo traffic citationsEight search warrants written
CSPD also reported it recovered:
39.5 fentanyl pills10.69 grams of methamphetamine9.42 grams of heroin32.89 grams of marijuana17.17 grams of cocaine10 xanax pills
Additionally, four people were arrested for felony drug charges:
Kerry SherrowTerry WoodsScott KeelCleve Watson
“These results are a demonstration of our officers’ efforts across the city to keep all of our community parks and open areas safe and open to our citizens,” said Deputy Chief Dave Edmondson.
Two years ago the Parks Department and CSPD installed fencing to block off the park’s two picnic pavillions, a move some local organizations protested.
After years of regular incidents of “illegal behavior” in the pavillions, the city said at the timem the barricades were erected to help police “get a handle” on the situation.
They are still in place.
Pikes Peak Womxn for Liberation hung oppositional signs in August after the City and CSPD used fencing to block off picnic pavillions at Dorchester Park.
Local groups, such as Pikes Peak Womxn for Liberation, Spreading Smiles and Sandwiches, and Southern Colorado Health Network, insist the park is important, and the people who use it, worth protecting.
