PUEBLO — A few neighbors on Pueblo’s east side said they now feel safer in their homes.

News5 first introduced you to Bryan Steepleton and Bryan Bailey back in August. They said crime was out of control on the city’s East Side.

Bailey said he felt so unsafe that he and his wife considered leaving Pueblo.

Following this story, we checked in with Steepleton and Bailey to see how things have been going over the past couple of months.

“Things have definitely improved,” Bailey said.

The stillness and silence along 12th Street are signs of change for both neighbors.

“It was pretty quiet here,” Steepleton said.

Another change, what remains. All summer, an RV was parked in Bailey’s neighbors’ driveway. He said it was the source of a lot of problems.

“Drug use, drug trafficking and the crimes that come with it,” Bailey said.

So, Bailey said his wife began advocating for something to be done to make their neighborhood safer. They demanded action from the police and the city council.

“There have been robberies in their neighborhood, we are literally asking for patrols,” Bailey said.

Steepleton said a city councilor responded to the call.

“We had a lot of help from Joe Latino on the city council. He and I sat down and talked a few times, and he sat down with law enforcement and police,” Steepleton said.

He said police were present in the area.

“They came in like six or eight patrol cars, and they covered this whole perimeter of about six blocks,” Steepleton said.

News5 asked Pueblo police if they had conducted any narcotics investigations in that area. A spokesperson for the department said they had made one arrest and that person had been in custody since August. In an email they wrote the following:

They said that in addition to our regular patrol, the Pueblo Police Department has several specialized teams, including the IMPACT Team which focuses on fighting gangs, guns and drugs.

Then, in September, Bailey said their neighbor’s house was sold.

“Since they moved, yeah, it’s definitely gotten better,” Steepleton said.

The camper van is gone and has been replaced by a big blue dumpster due to the house renovation.

Do you feel safer?

“Yes…it’s a lot easier to leave the house and not have to constantly check the cameras. Say, “Okay, what’s going on? Is something happening?

Before, they had to park their car in the yard, but now they feel safe enough to leave it parked out front.

“So it got better,” Bailey said.

Would improvement be the right word?

“Improvement? Yes, it’s definitely improved. I think there’s still work to be done, but I also feel like it’s at the community level, and I don’t know if it’s the next step that we’re going to try to figure out, which is, what are we doing as a community…to improve, and what are we doing not only here on 12th Street, but what are we doing- us all over Pueblo,” Bailey said.

Neighbors said they would still like to see more police patrols on their street. Their hope is that the entire East Side community feels safer and that there is no more crime.

Original drawing of the Purple Heart on display at the Money Museum

The Money Museum in Colorado Springs displays an original drawing of the medal by its designer, John Sinnock. This gives people the chance to learn more about the history of the medal and it represents the dangers that members of the armed forces face.

Original drawing of the Purple Heart on display at the Money Museum

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