Paula Klimas

April 2026

City Park West Neighborhood Watch — April 2026 Recap

Neighborhood: City Park West

Report Period: April 1–30, 2026

Prepared by: CPW Neighborhood Watch Coordinator

Summary

April 2026 marked a pivotal month for the City Park West Neighborhood Watch. The group formally launched its coordinator role, completed the DPD District 2 Neighborhood Watch Orientation (April 9), and joined the standing TGP Good Neighbor Committee. District 2 officially assumed patrol coverage of our sector on April 20th, bringing new resources and community engagement. At the same time, residents continued to report serious quality-of-life incidents — open drug use, fires set in public spaces, multiple attempted and completed burglaries, and repeated police non-response — generating significant community concern and a surge of political advocacy around state sentencing laws.

Five key takeaways:

  • DPD District 2 officially assumed responsibility for the CPW sector on April 20, 2026.
  • An attempted residential burglary in broad daylight and a confirmed home invasion (3 arrested) occurred in early April; residents report police non-response to multiple 911 calls throughout the month.
  • Open fentanyl use in the Race/High alley, public fires, and erratic individuals on residential porches were the most frequently reported quality-of-life incidents.
  • CPW neighbors are actively engaging state legislators to amend SB21-271 (2021 sentencing reform); State Rep. Gilchrist agreed to meet with the group.
  • Paula Klimas has been formally onboarded as CPW Neighborhood Watch Coordinator and is now represented in the TGP Good Neighbor Committee meetings.

Incident Highlights

Sourced from daily email digests, April 1–30, 2026

Burglary / Home Invasion

  • Early April: DPD District 2 apprehended three individuals in the neighborhood in connection with a home invasion in the area. A subsequent sweep was conducted along the High Street corridor, temporarily dispersing a homeless encampment.
  • April 2: A resident witnessed a man wearing a ski mask attempting to jimmy a residential lock in broad daylight and called 911. A DPD patrol car had been parked on the corner moments before the attempt. The resident reported no police response to the call.
  • April 9: Multiple unmarked police vehicles, a tactical armored unit, and a drone converged on the 1900 block of E. 16th Avenue on a warrant-related operation. The targeted property is a subsidized housing complex (LIHTC owned by Capitol Hill LIHTC Investors LLC, based in Sherman Oaks, CA). Residents have long observed suspected narcotics activity at this location.

Open Drug Use & Public Disorder

  • April 16: A resident called 911 to report a group openly using fentanyl in the Race/High alley, blocking vehicle access to garages. After waiting approximately one hour, no officers arrived.
  • April 16: A fire was set near The Gathering Place at 14th and High. Fire responded; police did not arrive.
  • Multiple incidents: Open fires were also set on Race Street near Illegal Pete's in the preceding weeks — Fire responded, police did not follow up.
  • Multiple incidents: Residents reported erratic individuals approaching properties, checking vehicle doors, and engaging bystanders along the 16th Street and Gaylord corridors.

Residential Porch & Property Incidents

  • April 4: A man was reported screaming on a resident's porch at 1 AM. Police were dispatched but did not arrive before the individual wandered off. The non-emergency dispatcher also declined to accept video footage (no audio on the recording).
  • April 10: A resident at 1650 Race Street reported a neighbor's dog barking continuously since 3 PM with no lights visible inside the home. A wellness check was called in and officers responded.

311 Encampment Reports Filed by Coordinator

  • April 14: Encampment report filed — Case No. 11220067
  • April 20: Encampment report filed — Case No. 11234165

Both cases were logged by Denver 311. Residents are encouraged to continue filing specific, detailed reports so that patterns are documented in the city's system.

Resident Observations

Sourced from neighborhood WhatsApp group, April 2026 — paraphrased

  • Multiple residents described a pattern of 911 and non-emergency calls going unanswered during active incidents — including open drug use, trespassing, an observed active burglary, and public fires.
  • Residents on 16th Street and Race Street reported feeling unsafe walking in the alley corridor and near The Gathering Place. One resident noted a child in the household is regularly frightened and has expressed feeling unsafe in the neighborhood.
  • A resident on the 1900 block reported a neighbor walking her dog approached them to shelter from an erratic individual nearby; neighbors coordinated an informal lookout to help her leave safely.
  • Several residents have expressed interest in registering Apple AirTags with DPD for real-time vehicle tracking assistance.
  • Neighbors continue to flag the Race/High alley as the primary hotspot for recurring activity (encampments, drug use, debris).
  • Following the April 9 warrant operation, residents observed mixed reactions to the deployment of an armored vehicle and drone — raising questions about proportionality that may be worth raising at the next CAB meeting.

Neighborhood Context: East Colfax BRT Construction

The East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit project has entered Phase 3 (Paving Operations, April–August 2026). Work begins at Grant Street and moves east, including milling, overlay, striping, and roadway finishing. Operations run Monday–Friday, 7 AM–7 PM. Residents should expect periodic lane changes and active equipment along the Colfax corridor during this period.

Specific Asks of DPD from Neighborhood Watch

  1. Improve response rates to 911 and non-emergency calls for quality-of-life incidents. Residents documented multiple incidents — open drug use, trespassing, public fires, and an observed active burglary — where officers did not respond. Even brief check-ins after a call send a signal; sustained non-response is eroding public trust.

  2. Increase visible patrol in the Race/High alley corridor, particularly between 16th Street and Colfax. This block has the highest concentration of recurring incidents (encampments, open drug use, vehicle access interference, fires).

  3. Follow up on The Gathering Place alcove and front-entrance area. Fires, drug use, and erratic behavior continue to be reported in and around this location. We ask that District 2 officers conduct regular check-ins and confirm progress on the no-trespassing agreement with TGP through the Good Neighbor Committee.

  4. Clarify enforcement options for the 1900 block of E. 16th Avenue (LIHTC housing complex, Capitol Hill LIHTC Investors LLC). Did the April 9 operation result in charges? Is there an ongoing monitoring plan or nuisance abatement pathway given the out-of-state ownership structure?

  5. Clarify the video evidence submission process. Two residents were told their video footage could not be accepted via the non-emergency line. What is the correct process for submitting camera footage to support an incident report?

  6. Continue distributing no-trespassing agreement information to CPW residents and property owners. Residents are motivated to establish these agreements (commercial and residential) and need guidance on the process.

DPD D2 Community Safety Resources

Crime Prevention:

Emergency & Non-Emergency Contacts:

  • Emergencies: Call 911
  • Non-Emergency Police Response: 720-913-2000
  • 311 (non-urgent, quality of life): Denver 311
  • D2 Community Resource Officers (non-urgent): Technician Borquez, Technician Ruiz, Officer Cervantes, Officer Hernandez — contact through the District 2 station.

Smart Safety Tools:

  • Smart 911 — pre-populate your info for first responders
  • Reverse 911 alerts — sign up for emergency notifications
  • DenverTrack — pre-authorize DPD to retrieve your stolen vehicle
  • USPS Informed Delivery — daily screenshot of incoming mail
  • AirTag Registration: Register an Apple AirTag assigned to your vehicle with DPD. If your car is stolen, call 911 with your AirTag coordinates and officers can dispatch directly to the location. Contact Paula for details.

Sex Offender Information:

This report was compiled from daily neighborhood email digests, the City Park West neighborhood WhatsApp safety group (April 1–30, 2026), and direct emails from DPD District 2. Digest entries reviewed: 28. WhatsApp safety items filtered: ~14. Email threads reviewed: 19.