It was a beautiful day in May 2023, with a strong wind—perfect for the 38th Annual Kite Day in Grand Junction, Colorado, a popular event sponsored by KNZZ radio in Grand Junction’s Sherwood Park.

But one child couldn’t get her kite off the ground. Her grandmother tried to help, holding the kite and running with the child, but it just wouldn’t take off. Seeing them struggle, Community Resource Officer Arnold Naik, a member of the Grand Junction Police Department’s (GJPD) Community Resource Unit (CRU), stepped in to help. Together, Officer Naik and the little girl soon got the kite flying.

Commenting on the event, Public Information Officer Kelly Clingman said, “Kite Day is really fun. Several hundred people come out for it, and five or six of our officers usually attend as well. There are people from the fire department and health organizations, too, a crime stoppers table, and various vendors. And everybody gets a free kite so they can join in the fun.”

Keeping the city a pleasant place to live, visit, and work

Known for its natural beauty and wide variety of recreational opportunities—skiing, hiking, whitewater rafting, and more—Grand Junction, the largest city between Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah, attracts thousands of visitors annually from all over the country.

To maintain safety and keep Grand Junction a pleasant place to live, visit, and work, the GJDP has 137 sworn staff and 98 civilian employees who provide law enforcement and other essential services. They also staff the Parks Patrol, as well as the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center, which is a hub for 23 public safety agencies in surrounding Mesa County.

Said Officer Clingman, “Community Resource Officers assigned to the CRU provide a variety of services. They work with our unhoused population to assist in providing necessary resources—housing assistance, shelters, mental health services, etc.—and work with [the] GJPD’s Co-Responder Unit, which pairs a mental health clinician to respond to calls for service involving behavioral health crises.”

They also participate in almost every outreach program from National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop events, Kite Day, and more, and provide presentations on active threat and shooter situations, burglary prevention, and other safety topics to community organizations, neighborhoods, school organizations and business owners.

Grand Junction’s Special Unit also includes School Resource Officers (SROs), who support teachers and administrative personnel in keeping the elementary and high schools safe places for learning and make presentations on topics such as physical and internet safety and dangerous drugs.

Said Officer Clingman, “We also work to educate our senior population about frauds that they can fall victim to, offer presentations on senior safety, and publish articles in the Beacon Senior News offering crime tips and informational resources to this group, which is often taken advantage of by scammers.”

Young adults are another group that gets special attention. Four officers and a sergeant are posted in the GJPD’s substation in Colorado Mesa University (CMU), which is located in the city. They handle all crime incidents on campus and provide classes on topics such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and drug use.

Building relationships with dogs, donuts, haircuts, and conversation

“We have a coffee and donuts program [at CMU] and occasionally set up ping pong matches with the kids in the Point, a student recreation center. And because Colorado is an open carry state, some students bring their recreational sporting weapons to school during hunting season.

“Our officers maintain a weapons storage for students who reside on campus. They secure firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, knives, etc. for students who use those weapons for hunting, sporting, or competitive purposes.”

Among the GJPD’s other community programs is December’s Shop with a Cop event, when officers take about 50 fifth graders from across Mesa County out to purchase holiday gifts for themselves and their families. Said Officer Clingman, “We work closely with Back the Badge, a local nonprofit, which helps us raise money for this event and purchase playground equipment and other things for area kids. Grand Junction’s Fraternal Order of Police and local businesses also donate for these programs.”

Another program that brings GJDP officers and residents together is Cops and Barbers, which takes place in a local barber shop where people gather and talk. Chris Bejarano, who owns Bejarano Barbering and cuts the hair of a lot of public safety personnel, said this led him to offer his shop as a safe, relaxed space for residents and cops to talk while getting their hair cut or waiting for a barber.

“Barber shops and hair salons are havens for conversation,” Bejarano said. “People discuss news, politics, sports, you name it. They’re places where relationships are built.”

An unusually named but very popular program is Dogs and Donuts. Said Officer Clingman, “Last year and again this year we hosted this event in partnership with the Western Slope Center for Children, which works with child victims of sexual or physical abuse.”

Families gather with their own four-legged pals and members of the GJPD to enjoy donuts and coffee. They also have a chance to adopt a pup from the Roice-Hurst Humane Society, which brings dogs for adoption.

And the public outreach doesn’t stop there. In the spring, during baseball season, NMBPD K9 handlers bring all the Junior K9 Officers of that school year onto the field with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and hold another recognition ceremony in front of the crowd.

The GJPD also participates in the city’s annual Cesar Chavez Celebration, which brings people together to honor Chavez’s dedication to helping farm workers gain equal pay and take pride in their heritage. “We bring out our vans [and] patrol and SWAT vehicles for people to explore, as well as a giant game called Connect 4 Safety with [the] GJPD,” said Officer Klingman. “To play, you have to answer safety questions. It’s a wonderful opportunity to engage with our Spanish-speaking community.”

“Our department is committed to fostering positive relationships with all members of our community,” she added. “We can't be successful in keeping the city safe without their support. The men and women of the Grand Junction Police Department are grateful to live and serve a city that, because it is so supportive, is a wonderful place for everybody to work, play, and live.

“This photo of Officer Naik with the little girl on Kite Day visually illustrates our relationship with the people of Grand Junction. While some just see a police officer and child, we see two humans coming together to create something wonderful and magical—pure joy.”

Photos courtesy of the Grand Junction (Colorado) Police Department.

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