New Trinidad Police Chief Visits Downtown, Emphasizes Relationship Building

The Trinidad Police Department announced on November 13, 2025 that new Chief Tracy Roles spent a morning introducing herself to downtown businesses, posting, "We had a great morning introducing new TPD Chief Tracy Roles to businesses downtown." The department included a photo of Chief Roles standing with Lt. Mike Tihonovich and several local business owners, and the post was created at 12:55 PM that day.

The outreach visit represents an early public engagement move by the department following Chief Roles presence in the community. The post also conveyed an intent to continue these interactions with the line, "If we didn’t get to visit with you this today, we’ll catch you next time!" For downtown merchants and residents the encounter serves as both a symbolic and practical signal that the department is prioritizing direct contact with small businesses.

Community visits by police leaders matter locally because they frame how public safety priorities are communicated and implemented. For merchants, regular contact with command staff can open lines for reporting concerns, coordinating on crime prevention measures, and clarifying expectations about enforcement and response. For residents the gesture can influence perceptions of accessibility and transparency within the police department, which are central to civic trust and cooperation.

Institutionally this type of outreach aligns with relationship oriented policing strategies that emphasize community ties alongside traditional enforcement. The visiting chief and the presence of a lieutenant with business owners demonstrates a departmental effort to move beyond station based interactions and into street level engagement. That can create opportunities for the department to gather qualitative feedback from people who experience downtown safety and economic conditions firsthand.

Policy implications include the need for measurable follow through. Outreach is most effective when it is paired with clear follow up on issues raised, public reporting on response actions, and opportunities for residents to participate in setting local policing priorities. For local government and the Trinidad Police Department that means translating initial goodwill into accountable practices such as regular business check ins, public forums, or published updates on downtown safety initiatives.

For now the visit provides a starting point for deeper engagement between the police and the downtown corridor in Las Animas County. Residents and business owners interested in seeing how this outreach translates into policy and practice will likely watch for upcoming events and communications from the department that detail next steps and concrete outcomes.