The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is excited to announce a $7,000 donation from the Police Foundation of Colorado Springs to support Play COS. This significant contribution will further bolster the impact of the Play COS initiative, which has proven to be a remarkable success in fostering positive police-community interactions and bringing the community together.
In January 2021, the CSPD's Community Relations Unit launched Play COS with a simple goal: to equip each patrol division with sports balls like footballs, soccer balls, and basketballs. These sports balls are carried by officers in their cruisers, allowing them to distribute them to kids and teens during their shifts. The program also organizes sports-focused events where officers engage with community members through various athletic and recreational activities. Giving away sports equipment or donations is not a new concept to law enforcement. What makes Play COS unique from any other program, is both its ability to make an expansive impact and its ability to bring the community together.
Since 2021, Play COS have given away over 7,100 sports balls to local kids and teens. There have been 127 Play COS events and donations made to 3 community centers and 40 local schools across all of Colorado Springs. Play COS has created close to 55,000 positive police/community interactions since its inception. This initiative has also received widespread recognition, with CSPD winning the 2022 International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Community Policing Award for their Play COS program. This award recognizes promising practices that utilize effective and long-lasting partnerships to make local, national, and international communities safer.
Through the implementation of Play COS, the community and officers alike have experienced tremendous benefits. Officers have expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to interact with children through sports, even if only for a brief game of catch. This engagement serves as a reminder of the positive impact they can have while policing the community. Furthermore, children from all walks of life have become familiar with Play COS and have run up to officers whether during a call for service or while officers are parked filling out paperwork asking our officers about the sports balls or to play a game of catch.
Chief Adrian Vasquez expressed his joy at the continuation of this important program, “We appreciate the Police Foundation’s investment in the children of our community through this donation to Play COS. This not only shows great investment in our kids, but in the relationship between the police and our community. The enjoyment of sports crosses all boundaries, and these sports balls help everyone enjoy the benefits of spending time playing sports together. With this donation, CSPD officers will be able to hand out sports balls to children throughout the City of Colorado Springs. While our officers get to enjoy the first few minutes of handing out the balls, and playing with the kids, we are happy that families and friends then get to enjoy these activities with their kids.”
Police Foundation of Colorado Springs is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide essential aid to the Colorado Springs Police Department. By securing donations of funds and resources, the foundation actively supports police officers in their pursuit of excellence within the department, ultimately enhancing public safety for the City of Colorado Springs. This support is crucial as it fills the gaps not met by traditional funding sources.
“We are very excited to support Play COS and the Colorado Springs Police Department with this donation and to be a part of the impact that will be made within the community and our police department,” said Nicole Magic, President/Executive Director of the Police Foundation.
We measure our success by impact, and we are incredibly proud of the lasting difference Play COS has made and will make in the future. This donation will enable CSPD to expand the program even further, fostering stronger community ties and enriching the lives of children and officers alike. To learn more about Play COS please visit https://coloradosprings.gov/police-department/page/play-cos.