A tourist from Pennsylvania caused a stir at the Cortez City Council meeting on Tuesday when he complained about the number of police patrolling the city.
During the public comment section, the man, who introduced himself as Preston Harper, said he and his wife were passing through town on an extended road trip and had seen numerous traffic stops by police since they arrived on Sunday. He said the number of police cars in town made him feel unsafe, and told council members they should consider toning it down. After Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane responded to some of his complaints, Harper began a heated exchange with the council that ended with his abrupt departure.
Harper said he saw about five police cars outside a restaurant on Monday, and that the incident, along with the traffic stops, made him feel like the Cortez police were “an occupying army.”
“I think it sends the wrong message,” he said. “I would ask you guys to really consider that your policing be more directed to friendly, helpful, not looking for trouble.”
Lane said the police in the restaurant incident were there because employees had called to report several customers who were refusing to pay. He also said the police department rarely sends five cars to deal with a single crime, and suggested one or two of them might have been from another agency.
“I think it’d be hard for anybody to call us a gestapo-type police department,” he said.
Harper responded by returning to the speaker podium and saying the behavior he had seen from Cortez police officers made them look like “road pirates,” and that it violated the city council’s oath to uphold the Constitution. Mayor Karen Sheek said she was sorry for his unpleasant experience, but that she believed he might be overstating his case.
“You didn’t really know what the circumstances were,” she said. “You don’t always know when there may be an emergency or someone needs some help.”
Harper left the council chambers while Sheek was speaking, allowing the door to slam behind him.
“We will ... blow the dust off our feet and move on down the road,” he said before leaving.
After his departure, the council voted 6-0 to approve the purchase of three new police vehicles, as well as two Parks and Recreation vehicles and one for Public Works, for a total of $183,996.73. Councilwoman Jill Carlson was absent for the vote.