A Loveland police officer who sustained injuries early Sunday while investigating one of a series of incidents at an apartment complex is a law-enforcement veteran.
Loveland police today identified the officer as 36-year-old Derek Stephens, who previously worked at the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department and the Grand Junction Police Department.
Early Sunday, Stephens and other Loveland officers went to Loveland’s Creekside Apartments, 249 Elder Drive, on a report of a disturbance. The caller reported a group of individuals yelling at each other and using gang signs in the complex’s parking lot.
Officers were unable to locate the participants when they searched the area.
However, more than an hour later, Stephens was injured after apparently falling into a hole as he chased one of the alleged troublemakers, according to Sgt. Jan Burreson, spokesman for the Loveland Police Department.
Stephens was taken to Medical Center of the Rockies but had been released and was recovering at home Monday.
According to Burreson, the suspect is being held for investigation of second-degree assault, three counts of false imprisonment, criminal mischief, underage consumption of alcohol, obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest.
Burreson said the department has classified the Creekside Apartment complex as a “problem-oriented policing project” because of the number of police calls and illegal activities associated with the complex.
On June 17, two Loveland police officers were hurt and taken to a hospital while investigating a disturbance at the complex.
Burreson said that gang members are believed to be living in the complex, and drug-dealing is believed to be taking place there. He said a lot of traffic into and out of the complex is believed to be gang-related.
Burreson said the police department “is dedicated to making the Creekside Apartments a safer place to live.
“The police department will continue to work on cooperation that is needed from the owners and managers of the property to obtain this goal,” said Burreson.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
