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Snowdown was busy but smooth, Durango police say

Officer-initiated calls ticked up slightly from past years, while DUI arrests were down slightly
Durango Police Department was dispatched to 332 calls last week, which is pretty standard for Snowdown. Officers initiated 446 calls throughout the week, which is a bit more than usual. In total, officers made 61 arrests. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

The Durango Police Department says officers encountered more people around town during the last week of Snowdown events than in previous years. After an early spike in arrests for driving under the influence during the first weekend of events, the total number of DUIs during the week of festivities came in at 14 – one fewer arrest than last year.

“Everything was almost the same (as last year),” Cmdr. Nick Stasi said. “DUI arrests we had one less, assault arrests we had one more than last year. … I would call it an average Snowdown for Durango.”

Law enforcement had a big presence at Friday’s Light Parade – about 50 officers – and police relied on partners including the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to enhance public safety. The train strategically placed cars to block vehicle traffic near the parade route, and the city’s garbage trucks blocked streets as well.

“We're trying to balance the safety aspect with the event not being too over-policed,” said Police Chief Brice Current.

Reports of missing kids tend to flood in during the parade, he said, and having bodies on the street can assist in expeditious reunions. The department used three tethered drones this year to monitor the parade, which Current said would likely not happen again because it was “a little too much for us.”

“All the organizers worked well with us in partnership – more than partnership, I'd say ownership – everybody took ownership before the event started, and then everything went well because it was planned for,” he added.

In one unusual turn, DPD is investigating a Snowdown event that took place Friday at the The Tangled Horn, a bar on East Eighth Avenue. A series of boxing matches, which appeared on the official Snowdown schedule, may have violated the state’s law against unauthorized fighting by agreement. The event featured pairs of fighters in boxing gloves and protective headware fighting short rounds in a makeshift ring.

DPD was dispatched to 332 calls last week, which is pretty standard for Snowdown. Officers initiated 446 calls throughout the week, which is a bit more than usual. In total, officers made 61 arrests.

rschafir@durangoherald.com



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