COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Downtown Clean and Safe Program launched in August 2025 with expanded security and outreach workers.
The program was created in response to concerns about unwanted behaviors and cleanliness that community members said were deterring people from visiting Downtown.
The program has the following four components:
- a cleanup team
- an enhanced security presence
- ambassadors
- an outreach component operated in partnership with Homeward Pikes Peak
Security expanded from two officers working eight hours a day to six officers on duty from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. during peak hours.
Security teams handled 2,066 incidents between August 2025 and the end of March 2026, with police involvement in just 2.7% of cases. Teams also responded to 371 direct requests for assistance from businesses and Downtown patrons.
"Only 2.7% of those require police intervention. What that allows us to do is when unwanted behaviors do occur down here, uh much quicker response to those behaviors to get those to stop,"
Pat Rigdon, Director of Downtown environment for the Downtown Partnership, said keeping police resources available for more serious matters was an important goal of the program.
"It does show that we are handling incidents down here without pulling the police away from potentially more important things to handle as well. It doesn't mean that we don't value the police partnership and presence, but we do want them to use their resources as efficiently as possible,"
Ambassadors made more than 1,500 business check-ins and more than 3,500 visitor interactions. They also logged more than 1,600 contacts with unhoused individuals, often greeting them by name and connecting them with outreach workers or available resources.
Outreach workers engaged 141 unhoused individuals during the same period. The following is a breakdown of those interactions:
- 49.6% (70 people) accepted case management
- 68% (97 people) were actively seeking housing
13.4% (19 people) achieved housing or stability
Rigdon said stability could mean housing, a shelter placement, or reunification with family in another state.
Cleanup crews removed 193 graffiti tags, cleaned 1,663 spills, and cleared more than 42,000 cigarette butts and gum pieces from Downtown streets.
The program has funding through the end of 2026. Leaders are now exploring ways to keep it going in 2027. Rigdon encouraged Downtown visitors, residents and merchants to report concerns to security rather than hoping situations resolve on their own.
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