Pueblo police, parks and recreation report summer activity and service calls

Brian McCain, speaking for City staff, reported Pueblo Police Department activity for the week ending Aug. 6 and summarized Parks & Recreation highlights during the work session Monday.

McCain said the police dispatch total for July 31 through Aug. 6 was 1,165 calls for service, including 228 self-initiated calls and specialized-unit activity. He listed other unit tallies as: about 10 traffic calls, 130 community service officer contacts, 21 parking-enforcement incidents, six crisis-intervention-team (CIT) contacts and 21 calls handled by the Solutions Outreach Service (SOS). McCain also said the DICE unit had 34 calls, community-oriented policing (COP) recorded 15 contacts, there were 14 citations, two trespass notices and one outside-warrant arrest during the same period.

Parks and Recreation highlights included more than 950 participants across four summer swim-lesson sessions, full lifeguarding classes that yielded new seasonal hires, and two monthly tennis tournaments that drew more than 100 players combined. Attendance at El Centro rose by roughly 50% compared with last summer, and staff reported 110 students attended a back-to-school giveaway Aug. 9; 25 free haircuts were provided at that event.

Staff said concessions sales have increased and some programs — such as morning water aerobics — drew requests to continue during the school year. Upcoming events listed by staff included a free roller-coaster night Aug. 15 and a “movie in the park” showing of High School Musical Aug. 16 at City Park.

McCain concluded by thanking donors and noting generally good seasonal staff retention for Parks & Recreation.

No formal council action was recorded on these reports; they were presented for council information.