DENVER (KDVR) — New questions are being raised about safety around the Denver Convention Center.
Meteorologists from around the country attended meetings in Denver this week. Some said they didn’t feel safe while they were here.
The American Meteorological Society wrapped up its meetings Thursday.
Some attendees said they came here to learn and enjoy the city. But that was not the case, as they headed out onto streets around the convention center. Several AMS members expressed concerns.
Katie Nickolaou of Michigan tweeted, “I did not feel safe walking around Denver,” and that several members were “verbally harassed” as they walked to their hotels.
The “convention corridor” runs from Glenarm Place to Champa Street and 15th to 17th streets. It has been the focus of an intense effort to reduce crime.
In November, the Downtown Action Partners Coalition was formed to make the area safer. The group held a briefing in December where it said the Denver Police Department had a total of 95 contacts resulting in 39 summons and 11 arrests.
City leaders have admitted crime was a problem in the heart of the city. So bad those leaders said some large conventions were choosing not to come here.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas told the Problem Solvers cleaning up the area requires a number of teams working together.
“The goal here is not just to connect people with the services to help them but again to make people that are people are enjoying and doing business in downtown Denver,“ Thomas said.
While police are making arrests, other teams are cleaning areas, substance abuse counselors are making referrals and outreach coordinators are connecting unhoused people to services.
“We are dealing with acute issues. So we are fixing on site. But again connecting people with long-term solutions so that over time the problem improves and people can see definite progress,” Thomas said.
For many who frequent the convention corridor, progress can’t come soon enough.