AURORA | Aurora’s new Police Chief Nick Metz was sworn in and received a warm reception from residents and city officials alike Monday night at a reception held in the lobby of the Aurora Municipal Center.
Despite a current controversy over a police shooting of an unarmed black man being arrested about two weeks ago, the atmosphere was light when Metz was sworn in by city officials later in the evening in city council chambers. During a speech he made jokes about the Broncos and a Peyton Manning action figure he received as a gift from Aurora Police.
He also acknowledged how his role as police chief has changed because of the uproar over racial profiling last year in Ferguson, Missouri.
“Policing in America has never been more complex and ever-changing than it is today … We have in-car video cameras, body cams, cell phone cams, 24-hour news, social media,” he said. “Demonstrations against police abuses proceed, demonstrations on behalf of the police.”
Metz acknowledged the local shooting controversy where Aurora police SWAT veteran Paul Jerothe shot paroled convict Naeschylus Vinzant March 6 causing waves of protests at and near Aurora City Hall.
“We’ve seen those complexities within the Aurora/Denver metro area and as recently as right here in our own backyard,” he said. “When such challenges present themselves, as a department and as a community, we can’t just look at it as a crisis, but as an opportunity to work together to strengthen relationships and strengthen partnerships.”
Here are three things you might not know about Aurora’s new Chief Metz.
Welcome. …..
We the people, support of policing hoping you use your own police tactics and relate to your Police Department unlike a man of evil Oates, who is under fire at his new position in Miami Beach, and was a toxic narcissistic controlling freak he knew nothing of being a street cop!
Metz, clean house and especially, clean up those that are to political and most of all, the SWAT officer, who saved more lives then taking one. Clear him, and do not pay out that family, if so it better be what RICHARDSON paid to that Russian family.
So far, the APD Officer’s are liking METZ, but there is more to be tested.
Perry is a closet drinker with 2 DUI’S and a cop hater but states “how fond is was of Oates”
You have dumb and dumber……..
There were two protests, totaling about 70 people. I understand the Sentinel is trying to drum up support for the community agitators, and get some news going, but that’s hardly “waves of protests”.