Real-time Pueblo crime center approved by city council

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the crime center was passed as the first reading of an ordinance. The measure was actually passed as a resolution. Resolutions only require one round of voting, so the funding for the center has been approved.

Pueblo is joining hundreds of other American cities in adding a real-time crime center, furnished by federal COVID-19 pandemic-related grants.

Pueblo City Council gave approval Monday evening for $1.5 million in funding for the center, which includes funding for gunshot detecting technology in some neighborhoods.

The initial start-up costs for the center, which will include a gunshot detection system in certain neighborhoods as well as some license plate camera readers, will mostly be funded by the city's American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Pueblo law enforcement wants to open a real-time crime center. Here's what that means

Why the vote wasn’t unanimous

Councilors Vicente Martinez Ortega and Regina Maestri are known to be on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but they both voted against this resolution — albeit for different reasons.

Maestri, who represents District 1 and also is running for mayor, said she’s done a lot of research about the centers, which have been opened in various cities around the country over the past few decades.

“I think that the constituency needs to understand that this isn't going to necessarily reduce crime or convict more people or solve our crime issues,” Maestri asserted. “Because if it's not solving it in those other cities, it's not necessarily going to do that here.”

She noted those cities still have high rates of crime and questioned whether a real-time crime center would help reduce crime in Pueblo.

Martinez Ortega, who represents District 4 and is running for an additional term, expressed his concern with too much surveillance and over-policing. His district includes Bessemer, which is one of the two neighborhoods where the gunshot detection technology will be deployed.

Here's why other city councilors supported the idea

While Martinez Ortega and Maestri spoke against the resolution, all of the other five councilors voted in favor of the measure.

“One of the biggest things that I hear about from my constituents is public safety. … One of the things that I really like about this approach is that it's data driven,” Councilor Sarah Martinez said.

Councilor Lori Winner said she can distinguish between gunshots and fireworks. She said she hears gunshots "just about every night.”

“I don't think that this is reactive at all, I think it's proactive,” Winner said.

Why Atencio pulled it from the agenda

The item was pulled from the agenda by councilor Larry Atencio, who attended the meeting via a video conferencing platform while in New Orleans attending a crime center-related conference along with three representatives from the Pueblo Police Department.

Atencio said that the Pueblo group could potentially find other technologies or vendors that could be better than the options that have been selected. While Atencio said he wants this center to be up and running as soon as possible, he suggested that council postpone voting on it for about another month in case better vendors were identified.

Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller, who led a presentation on the idea to council a few weeks ago, told councilors the companies that have already been selected were chosen for a reason after comparing multiple options.

Noeller clarified that the three officers in New Orelans are going to the conference to speak with other police officers from around the country about real-time crime centers and brainstorm best practices.

After some confusion among councilors about the proper flow of the meeting, Atencio withdrew a motion to postpone voting on the resolution.

More Pueblo public safety news: Pueblo man who pleaded guilty to murder charge files motion to withdraw plea

Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com. Please support local news at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo City Council approves $1.5 million to fund crime center