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CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
One Colorado town's police try to keep up with growth as officials say fire, public works also need funding
When responding to an emergency, every moment counts, especially as Colorado's communities grow. According to the latest census report, Erie is the 15th fastest-growing town in the country, and now its emergency services are trying to keep up. Erie Police Chief Lee Mathis has worked at the department for decades. He's watched the town and department grow, but one is certainly outpacing the other. "We need more officers, obviously, and we need a bigger building -- more space to do our job. Our evidence room is nearly full. We need more parking spaces for more police cars. We need more lockers for more police officers," Mathis said. So he's asking town council not just for a bigger building, but also for a bigger team. "We are below the national average for officers per population," Mathis said. "(Erie) has grown rapidly over the last five years. I think that that's caught us a little bit by surprise." Mathis says his department is working under long-term planning goals, but there's certainly been a spike in people moving to the town. According to Census data, the population grew 9.2% between 2023 and 2024. In that same time frame, Erie police say calls for service have gone up about 20%, as two officers were added to the previous 46 on the force. All of the officers now serve close to 40,000 people, and it has impacted response times. "We've gone from a minute for a priority 1 call to three (minutes), just because of the call volume," Mathis said. "Two minutes sounds like a short period of time, but I know it's a long period of time when it's a life safety issue." Mathis explained that during the Fourth Of July holiday, officers were spread so thin that they were unable to respond to all firework calls. But Erie police aren't the only ones asking for the town council's help to keep up with growing demand. "You can't double a town and not continue to invest in our facilities," Erie Mayor Andrew Moore said. "But that's also true for public works. You think about the next snowstorm that rolls in; it's not like we can just staff the police, but forget about public works, right?" Moore explained the town is also working to assess needs for recreation and entertainment centers and other facilities that have a higher demand as population grows. And while the growth rate may change, Moore says he wants to prepare as he expects the town to keep growing for years to come. But as thousands move in and funds are limited, Erie's mayor is giving residents their own say in what council should prioritize in next year's budget. "We've got a survey that's going to every single home," Moore said. "I'm hopeful that we'll get a large participation rate to really help guide myself and council on, 'what are the priorities?'" Meanwhile, Erie police hope they're one of those priorities. "If you don't have the revenues coming in to fulfill those long-term staffing goals, sometimes you have to put those things off," Mathis said. "We have a low crime rate, and we want to keep it that way." Town leaders are expected to look at the budget next week. Some possible funding sources could include current taxes, the town's revenue fund, or possibly asking the voters if they'd like to increase the town's sales tax in the future.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
Woman rescued from burning Erie apartment; inspector says fire was intentionally set
A woman was rescued from her Erie Housing Authority apartment on the late afternoon of June 24 in a fire that authorities said was intentionally set. The woman, who is in her 20s, was rescued from a second-floor room of her apartment in the 300 block of East 17th Street in Erie after the fire was reported on June 24 at 5:34 p.m., according to Erie police, the Erie Bureau of Fire and Erie County 911. The woman was taken to UPMC Hamot, Erie fire Chief Fire Inspector Don Sauer said June 25. Sauer said the fire was very small and started in the apartment's kitchen. The fire was contained to the kitchen, but there was smoke damage throughout the apartment, he said. More: Authorities rule as accidental Easter Sunday house fire in Millcreek that killed woman Sauer said the cause of the fire was incendiary. The incident remained under investigation by Erie police June 25. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@ This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie woman rescued from fire inspector says intentionally set
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Four new officers sworn into Erie City Police Department
Four new officers took the oath Friday morning to be sworn into the Erie Police Department. Malik Alassedy, Nicolas Brundage, Matthew Crosby and Emiliano Urbieta will be replacing officers who have retired. Buckle up, Click it or Ticket campaign kicking off next week Police inspector Chris Janus, who led the recruitment team, said that Friday was a milestone as they continue to diversify their ranks. Urbieta is the department's 7th Hispanic officer, and Alassedy is their first Iraqi officer. Legislation passes PA House addressing abandoned boats The youngest officer who was sworn in said that he is looking forward to fulfilling his duty. 'I entered with his department when I was in college at Edinboro University for three months, and I got to meet a lot of the guys and how they ran things here,' said Brundage. 'I'm very excited to get out there and meet all the new faces. I'm not from the City of Erie, so it's going to be a learning experience learning the city, the people, and seeing the different culture.' The officers will go through training for the next couple of months through the department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Erie police investigating Tuesday night shooting, asking for video footage
Erie police are investigating after a shooting sent one person to the hospital. Just before 9 p.m. Tuesday night, police responded to a Shotspotter call for a large amount of gunfire in the area of West 10th and Raspberry Streets. Shooting on Erie's west side sends one to the hospital Police found a large amount of shell casings around the area. A short time later, police were notified that a gunshot victim arrived at the hospital by personal vehicle. According to the deputy chief, the victim is a 19-year-old male who was shot once in the leg, and the injuries are said to be non-life-threatening. Lawsuit moves forward against Project NePTWNE lease 'At this point in time we've collected forensic evidence from the scene, our major crimes unit is currently taking a look at surveillance in the area,' said Deputy Chief of Erie Police Rick Lorah. No arrests have been made at this time. If you have a surveillance or Ring camera in that area, police ask that you give them a call. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/
