AURORA | Citing “recent hostilities” toward police, city officials are launching an effort to beef up security at the city’s three police stations.
The city already has hired unarmed security guards to monitor the District No. 3 station in southeast Aurora every night from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., and city officials are considering a plan to add extra fencing around District No. 2 that could cost as much as $750,000.
Police Chief Nick Metz said when he took his job in March he noticed that the parking lot behind District No. 2 — which is the department’s headquarters and includes most of their civilian personnel, as well as commissioned officers — was too dark when employees walked to their cars at night.
That is especially concerning, Metz said, when it comes to the civilian staff.
In September, police launched an investigation into a threatening 911 call made to the city’s dispatch center. On it, a caller says: “It’s time that you guys know we are no longer playing around with the police departments. Aurora and Denver, we are about to start striking fear, shooting down all cops that we see by their selves.”
The day of the phone call, police said shots were fired near officers in north Aurora. The officers were not injured and police later said the incidents were not related.
Still, Metz issued a statement saying the department takes any threats to officers seriously.
The phone call came just a week after a police officer in Harris County, Texas, was gunned down while pumping gas.
Aurora police spokesman Sgt. Chris Amsler said other than “anti-police” flyers found on officers’ personal vehicles and taped to the back doors of District No. 2 in January, there haven’t been any crimes or other incidents reported in the parking lots.
But council members said this week it makes sense to study the issue and try to make the lots safer. City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted 3-0 to move ahead with efforts — which include a $27,000 study of potential improvements — to improve security at police stations.
Councilman Bob Roth said it was a “no brainer” for the city to spend the initial $27,000 on a consulting firm to study the lighting and security around the District No. 2 and District No. 3 parking lots. A report from that study is expected in March 2016.
Lynne Center, facilities project delivery manager for the city and one of the staffers leading the effort, said the focus for now is on District No. 2 and District No. 3.
The city has already added new lighting in the secure parking lot at District No. 1, an effort Center said in a memo dramatically improved the light levels there. Plus,. the facility just east of the Anschutz Medical Campus received a new secure fence in 2015.
Councilwoman Barb Cleland said when she visits District No. 1 and parks in the public lot to the east, it is “spooky” to walk back to her car at night.
Granted, the dark parking lot is adjacent to a police station — hardly the ideal spot for a criminal to try something — but Cleland said she is nonetheless uncomfortable there at night.
“I realize I’m right next to a police department,” she said. “But it makes me very nervous.”
if a person is uncomfortable going somewhere at night, then dont go there
Should she not go to work?
she doesnt work there!
As a member of the city council, technically the entire city is her workplace 24/7,
but most especially anyplace that City workers are working.
But, she knows lightning not good, so stay away at night. IU cant imagine anything SO important so that she has to go at night. Perhaps there is parking on the street where there are lights -maybe
You are free to give in to criminality, not everyone rolls like that.
It should make yiu uncomfitable Ms. Cleland, look at what just happened to an armed police officer in Downey, CA sitting in his own car in the police department parking lot.
$27,000.00 to hire someone to tell you its dark at night without lighting, and fencing is more secure then no fencing? Millions of dollars of equipment sits out unsecured every day at both District 2 and District 3. Thanks to a former “Acting Chief”, who helped design the District 3 station, there was no security put in when it was built and within months of opening the parking lot was already too small.
Amazing!