CITY COUNCIL OFFICE

SCOTT HENTE PRESIDENT

Dear Colorado Springs Police Department Employees:

2012 held many triumphs and tribulations for your department and for the City. The Waldo Canyon Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in our history, taught us the importance of community and of service. The efforts and dedication shown by your sworn and volunteer workforces during this calamitous time helped us gain strength as a community. And, amidst the recovery efforts, another great tragedy was suffered—the loss of beloved Police Officer Matt Tyner. We lost a member of our family, and our community lost a friend. As we mourned the loss of Officer Tyner, the words of Maya Angelou came to mind “A great soul serves everyone all of the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.”

And, through these tragedies, your resilience and commitment to one another and our community shone through. Your innovative programs—the Community Crime Prevention classes; the “Most Kids Don’t” program which celebrates youth in our community who make positive choices every day; your preventive child safety campaign “Take 25” in order to raise awareness of the issues surrounding missing and exploited children; the Victims’ Right “Fun Run” to build public awareness about the challenges faced by crime victims; and your Community Advancing Public Safety volunteer program which has brought more than 58,000 volunteer hours in areas such as crime prevention and education and public safety advocacy—and the collaborative partnerships that are built through these programs, help Colorado Springs continue to be in the forefront as one of the nation’s safest large cities.

Furthermore, your outstanding efforts in public safety communications led to being honored as a “Colorado Center of the Year” by the Colorado Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and the National Emergency Number Association. This is a well-deserved honor, congratulations.

On behalf of City Council, and the citizens that we represent, thank you to all of you for your exceptional work and outstanding contributions in 2012. You should all be proud of such a prolific year.