Holy crap! Co Springs is a war zone!

[josh7328]

http://www.springsgov.com/units/police/policeblotter.asp?offset=0 OK, due to all the crap going on, I AM going to start wearing body armor and traveling with an amber rifle in the car as well as my CCW. I know many will think I am "crazy" or "paranoid", and maybe so, but I don't really care and if that's the type of comment you have, save it for somebody who cares. I already have a plate carrier, but I'll be trading it for a concealable vest when I get home, so I can actually wear it around. For my vehicle defense rifle, I can either put my SKS in a folding stock, or use my M4gery with m855. I want to be able to penetrate cover effectively and still stop an active shooter on the other side of that cover (think car doors/windows). Which weapon would you choose and why for this applicatin. Thanks in advance.

[rockhound]

generally colorado is a safer place to live than places like chicago, detroit, wash dc. dallas,

that being said i dont go to denver anymore without my CCW

[josh7328]

shoot. I never check my mail without my CCW. I just feel like times call for upgrading the defense system.

[rondog]

Sumpthin' happen lately down there in the Springs?

[josh7328]

Sumpthin' happen lately down there in the Springs?
Just all the violent crime going on. I put a link to the crime blotter in my original post. Keep in mind that the PD doesn't even post every reported violent crime on there, and that's just the ones that were reported.

[mtnrider]

I actually feel pretty safe here. Of course there are places in town I would not hang around after midnight at but there are a lot worse places to be in this country.

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[josh7328]

I actually feel pretty safe here. Of course there are places in town I would not hang around after midnight at but there are a lot worse places to be in this country.

.
No offense, but feeling safe doesn't equate being safe. I've been a victim of crime myself in the springs, which is what got me to start carrying. If you look at the time stamps on the crimes in the blotter, you are never safe just because of the time of day.

[battle_sight_zero]

I grew up in the Springs in the 70 and 80s. Went into the military and college and settled in Denver. Still have family there. I still believe its a great city and like all cities it has it bad parts of town. In looking at the blotter many of those areas were bad 20 years ago. At least CSPD reports thier blotters, I seldom see much mention of the fine work the cops do up here. Can say that the city has grown quite a bit too. Used to roam the Praries east of town where Powers is and the were no house just cows and Pronghorns. Used to catch toads in a pond where houses sit. The Walmart off Powers sits on what used to be a cool natural spring pond. Used to sneak the family guns out in the area and shoot all the time. Now its all stores and houses.

[BushMasterBoy]

I hear they are developing a nuclear hand grenade for consumers...

[rondog]

Sorry, missed the blotter link in the OP. I don't have a lot of exp. with The Springs, but I've seen a lot of nice areas, and been through a few "rougher" looking areas too. I had a telecom site there, that was in pretty much a crackhouse neighborhood by the tracks, but now it's called "America The Beautiful Park", or something like that. Cleaned it up pretty good. But the bums would still camp between our building's fence and the RR tracks.

I also met a member there once to buy some WWII .30 carbine ammo from him, met him at a 7-11. We sure coulda picked a nicer 7-11 to meet at, judging from the clientele hanging around there and coming in and out of de likker sto' next do'.

[Sharpienads]

I always carry when I can. Unfortunately, I work on a government installation that doesn't allow personal firearms. Which is retarded. So that means I have to drive from the North side of town to the South side almost everyday unarmed. That really grinds my gears. But from the way I understand it, a lot of the crime in the Springs in gang on gang, and most of it happens in a specific area. Here's a crime map of the Springs. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but you can filter it by type of crime.

http://spotcrime.com/co/colorado+springs

[ChunkyMonkey]

If I can find a good patch of land east of the Springs that is only few min from the city center, I'd move down there.

[Colorado_Outback]

All I can say is be careful. Riding around with a vest on and a rifle in the car.. you might look parinoid or like your about to commit a robbery..

[Zundfolge]

Most of the problems with The Springs are centered in the same parts of town that have always been "bad".

Stay out of South East Colorado Springs (particularly the areas around Fountain & Chelton and Academy & Jetwing) and you'll be fine.

I grew up in Wichita Kansas and frankly even in the "rougher" parts of Colorado Springs I feel safer than the "rougher" parts of Wichita (of course I left Kansas before CCW was legalized there so I'm sure that has something to do with it).

The media here are breathless in their reporting of the trouble lately though ... but that's media people (go re-listen to Don Henley's Dirty Laundry) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46bBWBG9r2o).

[sellersm]

"we all know that crap is king..."! Great song! I always liked that song, plus "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits!

[Colorado_Outback]

Also, how do you plan on securing your rifle when you get out?

[zteknik]

Heck,it's quieter here compared to where I came from.
Boy Scout motto-Be Prepared..

[mtnrider]

No offense, but feeling safe doesn't equate being safe. I've been a victim of crime myself in the springs, which is what got me to start carrying. If you look at the time stamps on the crimes in the blotter, you are never safe just because of the time of day.

No offense taken. I have analyzed the areas that I frequent most of the time and determined the treats to be very low. I live in a part of town that has next to zero crime and I feel it is very safe there. If you feel the need to wear body armor where you live by all means do so, I just think making a blanket statement that the whole city of Colorado Springs is under siege is a bit ...well you know

As many have pointed out the majority of the crime here is pretty centralized to a couple of areas which I can easily avoid.

[NightCat]

Boy Scout motto-Be Prepared..

^^^^ This

[HoneyBadger]

I like living in the north side. :) Had someone rooting through our trash here last night and I just shined my 1000 lumen light on him and he got in his car and left. Not very exciting.

[mtnrider]

I like living in the north side. :) Had someone rooting through our trash here last night and I just shined my 1000 lumen light on him and he got in his car and left. Not very exciting.

Yeah, that light was bright! You had some good stuff in there, I almost scored a half eaten ham sandwich! [Bang]


All kidding aside I'm on the north side as well and have no worries here. Nice area all in all.



/

[sellersm]

We're in Briargate area, not too many issues, have had some hair-raising experiences in the past, but nothing real recent. Most issues have been either drug or gang related.

[Ridge]

Pfft, whatever, Josh. Spend a week in Aurora.

[Sharpienads]

The Briargate area is nice. The only thing I worry about is the stupid kids in the neighborhood running around in the street. Oh, and we had a car that caught on fire because there was a moth inside the vehicle, the teenage girl driving freaked out and ran into a tree. Her car caught on fire. I thought I heard gunshots, but it was just her tires exploding.

[Squeeze]

Pfft, whatever, Josh. Spend a week in Aurora.

That's a no shitter. I don't even drive through that shit-hole unless it's absolutely unavoidable. When I do...there's a long-gun in the car in combination with my CCW and my head is on a swivel. (I also make sure I have a friend in the car who is a shooter as well, simply because driving and shooting is a real bitch [Driveby2]

[dwalker460]

Meh, I live in Aurora and its fine, never had any issue, but obviously SOME parts of every town are bad. Not sure I would go around wearing body armor, but when I know I might possibly be going into an iffy area I tend to have a little something extra in the car.

[Zundfolge]

I'm in Pleasant Valley (north of Old Colorado City, southeast of the Garden of the Gods. So basically central-west side) While there is a bit more crime in OCC, it rarely makes its way into PV (and when it does it strikes in the southern part, south of Fontanero more than it does up by Howbert Elementary where I live and even then it's usually minor stuff like car breakins).

Crime issues aside, there really is no good reason to go to the southeast part of town.

[68Charger]

Crime issues aside, there really is no good reason to go to the southeast part of town.

What about the airport? [Coffee]

The springs blotter really needs a " best of" section... I've read some really funny police reports in there.[LOL]

[colo-pr]

im from PR and when planned to move to US i had 50 states to choose and my wife and me choose CO Springs without any regrets, i have my CCW but never carry, just sometimes when go to Downtown, i feel very safe and happy here, if someone thing that here is not safe check the news of my island.

[TFOGGER]

Pfft, whatever, Josh. Spend a week in Aurora.

Colfax and Moline. Pretty much dead center of the free fire zone. I live about 6 miles east of there, and it's downright boring.

[dwalker460]

Colfax and Moline. Pretty much dead center of the free fire zone. I live about 6 miles east of there, and it's downright boring.

I too live (south) east of there- Tower/Mississippi ish and it is indeed boring.

[josh7328]

I don't think I've been to Aurora. It's worse than SE COS?! I heard yall have nice movie theaters, though. [AR15] Maybe the body armor is a little much for daily wear, but the long gun is a definite thing at this point, I think.

[Colorado_Outback]

Maybe the body armor is a little much for daily wear, but the long gun is a definite thing at this point, I think.


Also, how do you plan on securing your rifle when you get out?

[josh7328]

Not sure. That's something I'd have to address.

[68Charger]

Used to work at Central & Mohave in Phoenix when I was in college... The drive-thru liquor store across the street was shutdown no less than 4 times in that year for selling drugs out of the window... The shop foreman had a "hobby" that involved lining up stray bullets and shell casings found in the parking lot and the fleet vehicles (cabs)... There was over 5 feet in a row on his desk. [Shock]

[Colorado_Outback]

Not sure. That's something I'd have to address.

Say you do install a locking container in the car, now every time you walk away from the vehicle you have to get out with the rifle & secure it. Personally I don't like attracting that much attention to myself.

[alxone]

http://www.springsgov.com/units/police/policeblotter.asp?offset=0 OK, due to all the crap going on, I AM going to start wearing body armor and traveling with an amber rifle in the car as well as my CCW. I know many will think I am "crazy" or "paranoid", and maybe so, but I don't really care and if that's the type of comment you have, save it for somebody who cares. I already have a plate carrier, but I'll be trading it for a concealable vest when I get home, so I can actually wear it around. For my vehicle defense rifle, I can either put my SKS in a folding stock, or use my M4gery with m855. I want to be able to penetrate cover effectively and still stop an active shooter on the other side of that cover (think car doors/windows). Which weapon would you choose and why for this applicatin. Thanks in advance.i think you would die of paranoia if you lived anywhere that i have . 5 point being one of the safer places (yes this also means 80's and 90's 5 points ) . oh yeah dont ever visit baltimore [ROFL2]

[rondog]

That's a no shitter. I don't even drive through that shit-hole unless it's absolutely unavoidable. When I do...there's a long-gun in the car in combination with my CCW and my head is on a swivel. (I also make sure I have a friend in the car who is a shooter as well, simply because driving and shooting is a real bitch [Driveby2]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLorl1Uabh8

[Sharpienads]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLorl1Uabh8

Bwahahahahaha!!!! WTF?!?! Even the guys in the video are laughing.

[TheBelly]

Josh, you are more likely to be involved in a violent crime in rapid city, sd than you are in the springs. Stats won't help, but here's something I did when I was in college. I walked up and down the 'roughest' neighborhood that I knew of and could reasonably find (the end of bards town road in Louisville, ky) and I didn't feel any fear or worry because I knew I was prepared.

i was young and dumb then, but here's the point. I know what a troublesome area looks like, and I simply avoid those places. Keeping your mind on an amber state (aware but not alarmed) is what helps me walk around the springs. Stay alert, brother.

[Zombie Steve]

I'm in Old Colorado City on the west side. It's always been goofy over here. Lately it's been just annoying with d-bags everywhere. Encountered some teen angst thing the other night where a chick jumped out in front of my 4-runner to show her boyfriend how distraught she is. I didn't hit her, but I sure was pissed.

I read that blotter a few times a week. You'll start seeing patterns.

[Zombie Steve]

If I can find a good patch of land east of the Springs that is only few min from the city center, I'd move down there.

I know a good real estate guy. http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x214/sbecht/whistling.gif