In mid-January, The Sopris Sun received an anonymous tip from a resident at the Crystal Meadows retirement community describing that a neighbor’s truck had been broken into. Several days later, a Carbondale Police press release detailed multiple break-ins of vehicles and residences at River Valley Ranch. This followed another press release from mid-December about the arrest of an individual who had burglarized a home with the owner present earlier that month.
These reports have led many to wonder if crime is on the rise in our little town – especially since many old-timers remember never locking doors and leaving keys in vehicles. The Sun recently sat down with Carbondale Police Chief Kirk Wilson to get his perspective.
Wilson, who took over as chief from Gene Schilling in November 2020, told The Sun, “Overall, crime is stable; it’s not increasing rapidly, it’s not decreasing.” With the growing number of people in town, “We’re seeing more and more quality-of-life type of calls for service,” such as parking (“a huge issue”) and altercations with pets, “as opposed to big crimes.” The town does not “get many violent confrontations, though when we do, they get a lot of media attention.”
Traffic is another “big issue,” especially the greater number of vehicles on Hwy 133. “When 133 gets plugged up … people use 8th, Hendrick or Snowmass as bypass routes,” with more calls from residents on those streets.
When asked about an apparent significant increase in drivers ignoring stop signs, Wilson agreed, acknowledging that rolling the signs is “becoming commonplace” these days. Noting that Carbondale has an aging population and enjoys its reputation as a “walkable town,” he said that officers try to address this and other situations (e.g., dogs off leash or pedestrian-bicycle encounters) as safety issues. “Our job overall is to seek compliance with the people’s, behavior.” His philosophy: “Interact with our public, educate the public, enforce the law.” In that order.
Wilson emphasized that the police try to “tailor the way that we enforce, the way that we communicate with people, to a way that this community really wants us to … to keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s mind.” He did acknowledge, though, that “proactive enforcement has fallen behind” since losing the force’s municipal officer last summer.
When asked if there had been any changes in criminal activity at big town events like Mountain Fair or Dandelion Day, Wilson indicated that the department had not seen any. He did mention, without going into detail, that his goal is for an “increase in actual public safety, with no one even noticing it’s taking place.”
Wilson was particularly concerned about vehicle-pedestrian altercations, given how many outside events take place in Carbondale, citing the deadly incident in New Orleans on New Year’s Day 2025. He said, “We have to plan for how to mitigate these things,” adding that they are working to “minimize the obvious low-hanging-fruit risks” by using planter barricades and other measures.
Finally, the chief was asked about any actual or potential activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Patrol agents in the area, especially given our large Latino population. He said he knew of only one arrest, on Rte. 82 near Carbondale. Although he was not at liberty to explain further, he mentioned ongoing discussions within the department and with others regarding the perception of the police if federal agents carry out operations here. He strongly emphasized, “We’re not enforcing [federal] immigration law, period.” In fact, he mentioned efforts to help staff and family members obtain U.S. citizenship. He wanted people to be clear about the distinctions between local, state and federal jurisdictional responsibilities.
One last issue that Wilson wanted to touch on was the strong esprit de corps in the department. Personnel may leave to go elsewhere, but they often come back. “It says a lot about our community, it says a lot about our particular organization … and also a little bit about our leadership – not me.” He noted efforts with Lieut. Bill Kirkland to “make sure our officers here know that they are family, that they’re supported, that their personal lives matter to us.” He described programs to “make our officers feel and know that the department and the town [are] interested in their well-being. … Because it benefits everyone.”
Have you personally noticed a rise in crime in Carbondale? Chime in on Mountain Perspectives.