Downtown Partnership unveils 19‑month "Clean and Safe" pilot to expand security, ambassadors and outreach

The Downtown Partnership on Monday presented a 19‑month "Clean and Safe" pilot aimed at reducing disturbances, vandalism and merchant calls for aid in downtown Colorado Springs while increasing on‑the‑ground outreach to people experiencing homelessness.

In a presentation to the City of Colorado Springs work session, interim Downtown Partnership CEO Chelsea Gondek and Director of Downtown Safety Pat Rigdon said the partnership plans to pilot expanded supplemental security, a visitor ambassador program, and dedicated outreach workers to connect people to services. "We're here to talk about a clean and safe pilot that the Downtown Partnership is managing," Gondek said in opening remarks.

The proposal calls for roughly $2 million in total funding, split about evenly between public and private sources, with preliminary line items of about $1 million for security and $500,000 for outreach and related communications and legal costs. Rigdon said the team had secured "just under a million" dollars so far from the Downtown Development Authority, Visit COS and the Urban Renewal Authority and expected to cover operations into spring 2026 with existing commitments.

The pilot would expand supplemental security from the current two‑officer model to two teams of two during peak periods, extend coverage to about 18 hours on high‑visitation days and expand weekday coverage to roughly 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rigdon said the intent is to fill gaps in coverage around mealtimes and late evening hours and to reduce incidents that require Colorado Springs Police Department intervention. "A lot of that de‑escalation and citations can be done through our supplemental security," Rigdon said.

Ambassadors — presented as a hospitality and visitor‑assistance team — would initially be six trained people focusing on high‑traffic blocks Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., doing wayfinding and light cleanup. Outreach services are planned as 2 full‑time and 1 part‑time positions ("2 and a half individuals") contracted through Homeward Pikes Peak, with the team aiming to respond immediately when someone is willing to accept services.

Presenters emphasized standardized data collection to measure impact. Rigdon listed metrics the pilot will normalize and track: merchant requests for service, officer‑initiated activities, disturbances, trespassing incidents, graffiti removal, camping violations, tourist contacts, sit/lie ordinance citations and homeless outreach contacts. "We want more data — we don't know what specifically works for our downtown," Gondek said.

Council members questioned displacement risks, restroom availability and training. Elizabeth Lisberger, a Bloomberg‑Harvard fellow working on the outreach plan, said Homeward Pikes Peak will be a primary outreach partner and that care teams — ambassadors, outreach coordinators and trained church volunteers — will coordinate to connect people immediately to services. On restrooms, presenters said the city has limited public facilities (Acacia Park and the band shell) and that improvements or staffing were under discussion but not included in the pilot budget.

The Downtown Partnership asked the council to consider potential city support as part of 2026 funding discussions; Rigdon noted the city currently provides $175,000 for supplemental security that is included in the pilot's accounting, but that no additional city commitments were firm. The presenters said the pilot will adapt tactics based on interim findings and will return recommendations at conclusion: continue with long‑term funding, end the program, or spin services to a contractor or third party.

The work session did not include a council vote on the pilot; presenters were invited to return with further details and funding requests.