Virtual town hall meeting will address progress, plans for Aurora police consent decree

AURORA | The Aurora Police Community Advisory Council is holding a virtual town hall meeting Saturday to discuss the most recent reporting period for the Aurora Consent Decree. 

“The Consent Decree represents a vital step toward accountability, transparency and trust

between the city and its residents,” a statement from the city said. 

The Consent Decree, imposed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in 2021, followed investigations into the Aurora Police Department’s excessive use of force and discriminatory practices, particularly against people of color. Triggered in part by the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, who died at the hands of police and rescuers after being stopped, unarmed, the decree mandates broad reforms in training, accountability, use-of-force policies, data systems and community engagement.

The town hall meeting will review Report 8 of the Consent Decree and provide Aurora residents and other members of the public the opportunity to ask questions and share perspectives, according to a statement from Aurora. 

During this session, city officials and representatives from the Consent Decree monitoring team will:

• Provide an overview of the key findings and progress outlined in Report 8.

• Discuss ongoing initiatives to address areas targeted for improvement.

• Answer questions from residents.

As the City of Aurora enters the final phase of its five-year Consent Decree, progress has been shown in most areas across the Aurora Police Department and Aurora Fire Rescue, but data transparency and community trust continue to challenge full compliance, the Sentinel reported on April 22. 

“My office continues to work closely with the consent decree monitor and the city, and while I am pleased that Aurora continues to make incremental progress on the consent decrees’ mandates, more progress must be made,” General Attorney Phil Weiser said in an email. “The monitor has repeatedly highlighted concerns about APD’s data collection and reporting systems and lack of progress in implementing updated data systems. The consent decree mandates can’t be satisfied without APD making more progress on these essential systems.” 

Area community and activist groups say they are closely watching progress claimed by the city in meeting goals mandated by the decree.

“Crime fighting is a part of that, but the first goal is public safety,”  NAACP President Omar Montgomery said. “The overall goal is that we all want the same thing. We want a city of Aurora that’s safe, where people can work, live and thrive and know that their families are safe.”

The decree is enforced by an independent monitor, IntegrAssure,  a paid contractor that works alongside city staff and public safety leaders to monitor and ensure progress. Aurora has paid IntegrAssure more than $3.1 million as of January.

IntegrAssure’s Jeff Schlanger, who oversees and coordinates most of the Aurora reform goals, reviews and helps guide projects such as training and developing new police policies. 

According to the most recent Reporting Period Eight — from Aug. 16, 2024 to Feb. 15, 2025 —  57 of 78 mandates (73%) are now compliant, matching the previous review period. However, progress has slowed in some areas, according to the report:

• 18 mandates are still only partially fulfilled, particularly in officer training, data analysis and transparency.

•Three mandates are on a “cautionary track,” involving structured compliance tracking, enforcement stop analysis and officer accountability.

One main barrier to full compliance is the police department’s inconsistent collection and analysis of data involving enforcement actions by police and potential episodes of racial bias, police and oversight officials say.

To review the report or submit a question to be answered during the Virtual Town Hall, visit the consent decree monitor’s website, auroramonitor.org/reports.

WHAT: Virtual Town Hall about Report 8 of the Consent Decree

WHEN: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., May 17

WHERE: Online or by phone

– Microsoft Teams: Click here to join the video call.

– Phone: 720.388.8447, Conference ID: 952 981 717#

For information, contact Cassandra Webster at webstercass@outlook.com or

720.925.2369. Also visit integrassure.com/in-the-news.