AURORA | Aurora’s next top cop will have to be fluent in non-traditional policing models and respectful of the partnerships between neighborhood groups and Aurora Police, residents and city officials said at the first public input meeting to find the next chief. The meeting was held on July 2 in the Aurora Municipal Center’s council chambers.
Pastor Thomas Mayes of Living water Christian Center Church in Aurora, said Oates’ work with schools, churches, and community groups helped repair what were before damaged relationships between Aurora police and residents.
“Are we looking at the uniqueness of the city itself?” Mayes asked, referring to the fact that Aurora is the most diverse city in Colorado. “I don’t want to go backwards. We have some challenges, but we moved so far ahead to just stagnate. We can’t afford that at this point because the infrastructure, all the relationships with community policing are so solid now. I feel like we’re at one of the better points in history.”
Arapahoe County Sheriff David Walcher added that he would like to see a chief dedicated to problem-oriented policing, a model where police officers also take on the role of social workers, and one that encourages nonpunitive solutions over jail time.
Regan Williams, a vice president with Bob Murray and Associates, the firm contracted to search nationwide for applicants, said an ability to connect with residents would be high on the list when recruiting applicants.
Mayes and other residents who attended the meeting also raised a concern that the city was too focused on hiring a chief from outside of the department. They said not looking at applicants from within sent a message to Aurora police that there was no upward mobility.
Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan told the Sentinel in May that a national search is crucial for Aurora as the city continues to grow from sleepy suburb to a city of nearly 350,000 residents. Williams’ firm recruited Oates to the Aurora Police Department in November 2005 from a job as head of the police department in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Regan said once the city has narrowed down the job description, he will include it in a brochure that will be mailed to potential applicants around the country. He said he expected there to be more than one applicant from within the department, but that he would be courting police chiefs in other cities to ensure a pool of diverse, highly-qualified people.
“The candidate could come from Aurora, or from California, or Washington. We don’t know yet because we don’t have a pool of candidates,” he said.
Regan said it will take from four to six months to choose the next chief. After the applicants have been whittled down, the city manager will make a final selection which will be sent on to city council for confirmation and approval.
The cost for the city to use the recruiting service will be $26,000, city spokeswoman Kim Stuart said. Last time Williams conducted the search, it took almost eight months and cost the city more than $24,000.
It’s not as if very many people showed up over there. Maybe 20 including city officials. Wonder why citizens decided this wasn’t important? We’ve either learned our opinions won’t effect the outcome or, this meeting was so poorly promoted, people didn’t know it was happening.
I suppose city officials will say they told plenty of people. If that’s their stance, then I’d say Pastor Mayes doesn’t know what he’s talking about when he said Oates repaired relationships with the community and they are now solid. In fact, he destroyed most of them as so many of us see it and we are glad he is gone. Now, they either continue to die or get repaired. I don’t see APD doing that. Well, maybe when hades freezes over.
Oh hey there Skip Noe! I was told you were asked how many citizens responded to your email questionaire concerning their input on the new chief. Apparently, your response was zero. That’s not true. I along with many other’s responded. Would you care to tell the public why you didn’t get them or shall I?
If the City Officials beleive that DANNY BOY was a good chief then they are as stupid as DANNY BOY is! Why don’t they grow a pair and just say we are glad that he is gone!
No, our council and city manager will do anything to save face even if it’s the wrong thing to do. It’s who they are.
Prior to the shooting at Century 16, many people took turns calling him everything you can think of behind his back. The PR he brought to the city in the days following the shooting, which sadly would have come with or without him, suddenly changed their minds about him? No it probably didn’t! They just jumped on the gravy train because they are politicians. Politically speaking, beyond Aurora, they’ve not made a name for themselves anywhere else in the state. Therefore, they likely thought they finally needed that frosted flake and for some unknown reason, still do.
I heard that Commander Ken Murphy wants to apply for the position and I hope he does.