Earlier this year, Springs police added 12 officers plus a supervisor to the streets downtown at night.

“They have a very quick response time so they can address a problem before it becomes an overwhelming problem and I think that's had a calming affect on downtown,” said Cmdr. Kurt Pillard, C.S.P.D. “I think it's working very well.”

 Also hard at work - taxi drivers. The city designated 18 parking spots for taxis outside of the popular hot spots to help keep bar patrons moving.  They're also experimenting with several cameras to monitor activity downtown. Police are in the process of testing them to see how well they work.

“They've been a very valuable tool for us and we've actually caught some disturbances on video,” said Pillard.

 “We've approached the Downtown Partnership and asked them for assistance,” he said.

Pillard says the Downtown Partnership, a group working to build a strong downtown, is in the process of setting up a fund to help.  News First didn’t hear back from the Downtown Partnership.