WHERE TO LIVE...

[Marlin]

You have a timetable yet there Mike? How soon is soon?

[KarlPMann]

bonds huh? what is it exactly you do?

I'm a bail bondsman. Been doing that for about a year now. Karl.

[Mad Mike]

Marlin, no time table as yet, but the sooner the better is the way i feel about it, we'll see what happens in 2006....

[USMC03]

I'll be moving to Colo. in the near future........what are the bad area that i should avoid???

http://www.chieftain.com/metro/11300...o/1130047200/9




Violent crime rate down in Pueblo

By PATRICK MALONE

THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN


Violent crime in Pueblo dropped 18 percent in 2004, but it's still more common here than in other Colorado cities of comparable size, according to statistics released this week by the FBI.

Westminster, which has a population of only 300 fewer people than Pueblo, reported 251 violent crimes in 2004 compared to 666 in Pueblo, according to the FBI. Arvada, which has a population within 2,000 of Pueblo's, reported 180 violent crimes.

Only Denver (4,490), Aurora (1,754) and Colorado Springs (1,623) reported more violent crimes last year than Pueblo (population 102,121).

Reference:

-Denver (population 554,636)
-Aurora (population 276,900)
-Colorado Springs (population 360,890)
-Pueblo (population 102,121)


Pueblo Police Chief Jim Billings said he has no explanation for the dip in violent crime here. He questioned the validity of the statistics reported by other cities.

"Some of that probably goes to how (other cities) report their statistics," Billings said. "We strictly comply with the uniform crime standards for reporting. I honestly don’t think Pueblo is a more violent community than the other communities around us."

The police chief said habitual criminal laws that put repeat offenders in prison for lengthy terms have played a role in the reduced number of assaults Pueblo has seen.

Aggravated assaults here declined from 598 in 2003 to 422 in 2004. Pueblo proper had seven homicides in 2004 compared to six in 2003. Statistical changes in forcible rape, burglary and theft were negligible.

Overall property crimes in Pueblo were up in 2004, climbing from 5,571 to 5,775 according to the FBI report. Motor vehicle thefts rose from 402 in 2003 to 439 in 2004.

"Typically the property crimes go up when economics are not so good, when the stock market’s down and unemployment is up," said Billings.

Billings said the spike in auto thefts has been a concern for police, and the department has made combatting the problem a priority.

Pueblo's greatest difference in crime was the decline in arson fires. In 2003, Pueblo experienced 65 acts of arson compared to 34 last year.