City Park West Neighborhood Watch — May 2026 Monthly Recap

Prepared for: Denver Police Department, District 2 Reporting Period: May 1–31, 2026 Submitted by: Paula K., City Park West Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Contact: klimaspaula@gmail.com

Summary

A stabbing in front of The Gathering Place on May 14 (Case 26-0800079) is the month's most serious incident. A suspect ("Bobby") was arrested; investigation remains open as of month-end.
May 15 was the neighborhood's highest-incident day: a screaming/erratic individual on Race St. (3+ nights, multiple calls to 911), a knife brandishing at 16th Ave, a non-responsive man in the Race/High alley, two incidents of public defecation on a resident's garage, an encampment at TGP, and a shovel theft — all reported within a 24-hour period.
The Race St./High St. alley and TGP corridor remain the neighborhood's primary disorder hot zone; six standing DPD asks from the April recap remain unresolved.
Additional May incidents: large police response (~10 cars) at Race & Colfax on May 10; trespass with unauthorized outlet use on May 18; scooter theft from a garage; package theft from a porch; suspected abandoned/stolen vehicle on Race on May 24.
Neighborhood Watch infrastructure is fully active: monthly newsletter live, CPW board engaged, state legislators met in person on May 26, and a joint DPD/mayor's office community meeting is being planned for late June/early July.

Safety Incidents

TGP Stabbing — May 14, 2026 ⚠️ OPEN CASE

A stabbing occurred at approximately 7:00 AM in front of The Gathering Place (TGP), involving an altercation among individuals loitering outside. One person kicked another in the face; a third then stabbed the assailant. The victim was transported to Denver Health. Heavy police presence was observed at TGP and on Sinclair Street. An online police report was filed (tracking number T26009832), approved May 15 and assigned permanent case number 26-0800079.

DPD Community Resource Officer Jesus H. (P25004) confirmed via email on May 16 that the matter is under active investigation. On May 18, a resident relayed that DPD confirmed an arrest was made — suspect identified in neighborhood communications as "Bobby." No official custody confirmation or charges were received by month-end.

Ask of DPD: Please provide a case status update when information can be released, including confirmation of charges filed. CCs on correspondence: David A., Hana R., Mike B., Isabella C., Christie M.

Large Police Response at Race & Colfax — May 10

Residents observed approximately 10 police cars at the intersection of Race St. and Colfax, centered on the area of the SAME Cafe. A resident reported a separate arrest in the alley just inside Colfax the same evening. Exact nature of the incident was not confirmed; residents used the Crime Radar app to track details.

High-Incident Day — May 15

Multiple independent incidents were reported by residents on May 15:

Screaming/erratic individual on Race St. — A man was observed running and screaming down Race St. for at least three consecutive nights. Residents called 911 and 311 repeatedly with inconsistent response. One resident noted the man was heading toward East High School during morning hours. Individual was later identified as someone previously known in the 13th and Vine area.
Knife brandishing at 16th Ave — A resident called 911 after an individual sitting on their wall refused to leave and then brandished a knife.
Non-responsive man in Race/High alley — A resident reported a man lying face-down and non-responsive in the alley. DPD/Denver Health contacted.
Public defecation — Two separate incidents of public defecation on a residential garage reported to DPD.
Encampment at TGP — A 311 report was filed for a street encampment in front of The Gathering Place, with an individual blasting a speaker. DPD responded at least twice.
Shovel theft — A resident's shovel was stolen through an unlocked alley gate, discovered before 6:00 AM.

Ask of DPD (reiterated from April): Dedicated patrol of the Race St./High St. alley, with consistent 911/311 follow-through for erratic individuals in the corridor.

Alley Trespass and Unauthorized Outlet Use — May 18

A resident discovered an unfamiliar scooter plugged into their private electrical outlet in the townhouse alley off Race St. (between 16th Ave and Colfax). Video footage showed an individual entering the alley through an unlocked gate at approximately 8:00 AM Sunday, May 17, plugging in the scooter and leaving. Residents filed online trespassing and illegal dumping reports and have been advised to lock outdoor outlets. The scooter was posted to Denver Stolen Bikes; serial number was not registered in Bike Index.

Note: The alley gate on this townhouse row has been reported unlocked on multiple occasions throughout May, enabling recurring unauthorized access.

Scooter Theft — May 17–18 (overnight)

A resident reported scooters stolen from their garage (1541 Race St. area) overnight, consistent with the alley gate vulnerability noted above.

Package Theft (Porch Piracy) — May 20

A resident on Vine St. reported multiple Amazon packages stolen from their porch. Video footage was captured. Corroborates DPD's own porch pirate prevention outreach circulated May 28.

Suspected Abandoned/Stolen Vehicle — May 24

A resident reported an abandoned-appearing pickup truck with a window left down, which appeared overnight near Race St. DPD non-emergency was called to report it.

DPD District 2 Crime Bulletins (circulated May 28 via Christie M.)

Shooting — 3000 block of Champa Street
Robbery — 1300 block of N. Krameria Street
Unsolved homicide (3-year anniversary re-circulation) — Monaco & Colfax
DPD safety reminders: remove valuables from vehicles; register/lock bicycles; keep garage doors closed; do not leave firearms unsecured in vehicles (required under Colorado law)

Additional bulletins circulated May 1 included: 3 robberies (3400 blk of 42nd Ave; 2200 blk of N. Oneida; 4600 blk of N. Humboldt); a fatal hit-and-run at E. 35th & N. Albion; a shooting on the 2700 blk of Larimer; a sex crimes bulletin; and an update naming a suspect in the April 5 Russell Square Park fatal shooting.

Additional Incidents

Patio theft (Mother's Day weekend, ~May 11): Two flower planters stolen from a neighbor's patio; reported via Nextdoor.
Scam/solicitation pattern: Nextdoor flagged neighbors receiving unsolicited messages from strangers asking for money.
Shooting involving a minor (May 21): Nextdoor surfaced a DPD investigation into a shooting that killed a minor in Denver. Location not confirmed as City Park West. Monitoring for follow-up.

Resident Observations and Themes

Resident communications from the High-Race Safety Watch group, wine-wednesdays group, and Nextdoor digests indicate the following patterns throughout May:

The TGP/Race/High corridor is the single highest-concern zone. Residents refer to The Gathering Place as a chronic flashpoint. The same individuals are observed repeatedly. 911 and 311 response times in this corridor remain a pain point — multiple residents reported calls with no visible response.
The alley gate on the 16th Ave/Race St. townhouse row is a recurring vulnerability. It was found unlocked on multiple days in May, enabling unauthorized access, theft, and trespassing. Residents are discussing lock upgrades and HOA coordination.
Petty property theft is active and clustered. Porch packages, a shovel, patio planters, and garage scooters were all targeted in May. DPD's own repeated messaging to lock bikes, secure vehicles, and close garages suggests a district-wide trend.
Street racing is prominent enough to warrant a guest speaker (Sgt. Gates, Street Racing Enforcement Unit) at the May 6 2CAB meeting. Residents are using reportstreetracing.com.
Residents are organized and engaged. The neighborhood watch email thread launched May 12 with 13+ participants. State legislators were met in person on May 26. Neighborhood Watch signs were posted at 16th and Race. Residents are documenting incidents via video and the Crime Radar app.

Specific Asks of DPD

Case 26-0800079 (TGP stabbing, May 14) — Official status update and confirmation of charges, when available.
Improved 911/311 response rates in the CPW/Race/High corridor, particularly for repeat erratic individuals.
Regular dedicated patrol of the Race St. / High St. alley — outstanding from April.
TGP alcove enforcement follow-up — outstanding from April.
Clarity on enforcement activity at 1900 block of E. 16th Ave — outstanding from April.
Video evidence submission process — how should residents submit video to DPD? Outstanding from April.
No-trespassing agreement distribution to relevant TGP-area locations — outstanding from April.

TGP Good Neighbor Committee

Facilitator Steve C. (Find Solutions) distributed the April 29 GNC meeting summary on May 2. DPD D2 community resource officers (Hana R., Isabella C., Mike B.) remain standing members of the GNC.

Robin R. (TGP liaison) re-shared the historical TGP Incident Spreadsheet via Google Drive — originally developed for City Council outreach — as a potential feeder document for monthly DPD reporting. Legacy Dropbox links within the sheet may need updating.

Next GNC meeting: June 17, 9:00 AM.

Neighborhood Watch Updates

May 12: CPW Neighborhood Watch email thread launched; 13 recipients; monthly newsletter and calendar live at paulaklimas.com/cpw-neighborhood-watch.
May 21: Paula attended CPW Board Meeting (Denver Book Society, 6 PM). Scott H. (CPW board) confirmed and offered to share newsletter links on CPW social channels.
May 24: Neighborhood Watch signs posted at 16th St. and Race St.
May 26: Neighborhood residents Jim N., Robin R., and Colin met in person with State Rep. Lindsay G. (HD-8) and State Sen. Matt B. regarding SB21-271 reform. Both legislators were receptive and invited continued dialogue. The group is planning a follow-up joint meeting with DPD and the mayor's office for late June/early July. Neighbors are organizing a bloc to demonstrate community presence at that meeting.
The CPW Safety Group (50+ residents and businesses) is actively engaged in legislative advocacy.
Paula K. is a seated member of the TGP Good Neighbor Committee.

DPD Community Events

Completed in May:

May 2 — Self Defense Class, Johnson Rec Center, 4809 Race St (10 AM–2 PM)
May 6 — 2CAB Meeting with Commander Aragon; guest: Sgt. Gates (Street Racing Enforcement Unit)
May 14 — Crime Prevention Tune Up, New Freedom Park — bike registration (529 Garage), free CLUB locks, anti-theft license plate fasteners

Upcoming:

June 3 — 2CAB Meeting, District 2 Station, 3921 Holly St; doors 5 PM, meeting 6 PM; Commander Aragon & Sgt. Gates
June 17 — TGP Good Neighbor Committee, 9:00 AM
June 18 — Free Safe Summer Kick Off, 3625 E. Colfax (Sprouts parking lot), 4–7 PM — DPD, Denver Fire, Sheriff Mounted Patrol, Park Rangers; free CLUB locks & bike registration

Open Items Carried into June

Await official DPD update on TGP stabbing case 26-0800079 (charges/custody status).
Coordinate joint DPD + mayor's office community meeting for late June/early July (Jim N. leading; DPD contact needed).
Obtain TGP meeting notes and expanded contact list from Robin R.
Confirm resolution of six outstanding DPD asks from the April recap (listed above).
Complete the East Colfax BRT online engagement form (denvergov.org).
Coordinate joint legislative meeting with State Rep. G. and State Sen. B. (contact: Sydney, hd8aide@gmail.com).
Review May 2026 District 2 Newsletter (link shared via DPD email distribution).