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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- A large bear was sighted in a Colorado Springs neighborhood Thursday morning, and police say it acted "aggressive."

The bear was seen wandering in a neighborhood just before 10 a.m. near the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus. After receiving multiple calls, police arrived on scene to make sure people did not approach the wild animal.

"When the officer got there, he saw several people near the bear, and the bear did not seem concerned that there were people out and about," Colorado Springs Police Sgt. Darrin Abbink said.

While the officer was keeping residents at a safe distance, he was able to take a few pictures of the bear.

"But the bear decided that the officer was not somebody he liked," Abbink said. "The bear began growling, he puffed up his chest and made himself larger and, at one point, even ran towards the officer."

The police officer was on the other side of a fence when the bear approached him and was thankfully unharmed. By the time the Colorado Division of Wildlife arrived, however, the bear disappeared into a wooded area.

"Because of how the bear responded to the officer, we decided to send out a reverse 911 message to people within a half-mile of the area," Abbink said. "We wanted them to know the bear was acting aggressive, and it was a very large bear. We wanted people to keep an eye on their kids and that sort of thing."

Though the bear is no longer in the neighborhood, residents in the area say it is unnerving to know there is an aggressive bear roaming near their home.

"I'm real scared about that," Colorado Springs resident Hank Krause said. "I have pets, my grandkids and there are plenty of other kids around the neighborhood. I'd hate to think that somebody got attacked by a bear."

Wildlife officials said it is common for bears to wander into urban areas this time of year because they are looking for food to prepare for the winter.

"Bears do live out in that area," Abbink said. "Whether people are out hiking or whatever it might be, they need to be aware of their surroundings. This bear is still out there and apparently he is not afraid of people, so people need to be aware."

There are many ways to be "Bear Aware." The Division of Wildlife suggests:

-- Store trash in a bear-resistant container or put trash out only the morning of pickup, not the night before.

-- Take bird feeders down during summer.

-- Feed all pets indoors; store pet food, bird seed and livestock feed inside a secure area.

-- Keep garage doors closed, even when at home.

-- Clean BBQ grills after each use or store them inside.

For more tips and information, visit wildlife.state.co.us and search "Living with Bears."