Latest news with #ChrisNoeller
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
All Pueblo police officers wounded in March 18 shooting officially home from hospital
The final Pueblo police officer who remained hospitalized after being severely wounded in a March 18 shooting is officially home. Pueblo police held an honor escort for the three officers injured in the shooting and a welcome-home procession for the final officer discharged on April 12 along Main Street. "We are extremely grateful the remaining hospitalized officer that was injured in the March 18 shooting has been released to join our other officers to continue their recovery," said Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller. The three officers were shot in an "ambush" by suspect Billy Soto, whom police say fired over 80 rounds from an AR-15 and gravely wounded three officers before he was killed by return fire. The first officer was struck while sitting in his car, according to a letter from the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police sent to Gov. Jared Polis and other state leaders in the Colorado Legislature, and two additional officers were also "critically injured." Pueblo police spokesperson Bianca Hicks previously told the Chieftain it was "by the grace of God" the officers survived their injuries. She said that if the trajectory of the gunshots had been a little bit to either side, "we would be having a different conversation." The shooting is still being investigated by the 10th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team, with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation acting as the lead investigative agency. More in public safety news: Pueblo Fire Department says large brush fire near Lake Minnequa fully contained Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@ Follow him on X, formally known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Honor escort pays tribute to Pueblo PD officers wounded in shooting
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Pueblo Police earns third international re-accreditation
(PUEBLO, Colo.) — The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) was awarded its third law enforcement accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). On Saturday, March 22, the police department revealed its second CALEA accreditation in Garden Grove, California. CALEA is an international credential authority that facilitates an agency's pursuit of professional excellence and is the Gold Standard for Public Safety Agencies. CALEA's accreditation program is a voluntary way for agencies to demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards. Less than 5% of law enforcement agencies nationwide have attained this recognition of excellence. In Colorado, only 20 out of 246 agencies have full accreditation. 'I want to thank and acknowledge Corporal Katie LaConte for her hard work in ensuring that we once again completed our accreditation process without any standards issues,' stated Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller. 'The men and women of our department are committed to upholding nationally recognized best practices, and it shows with our third accreditation. The Pueblo Police Department received its initial CALEA accreditation on March 25, 2017, at the Mobile, Alabama, CALEA Conference. The accreditation came after a three-year assessment phase, when many policies and procedures were updated. They earned their first reaccreditation in 2021, followed by its most recent in March 2025. CALEA's current accreditation process entails a four-year accreditation with annual remote compliance checks and a site-based visit every four years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
