EDITOR: As a career service retiree of the Aurora Police Department and former resident of Aurora, the current state with the “leadership” of the Police Department is cause for concern.
The entire department has come under fire, because of the actions of a few. Why does Nate Meier still have a job? Because the previous Chief Nick Metz allowed him to keep it.
It seems the decisions to allow officers who have engaged in wrongful conduct are squarely at Metz’s feet. How do you fix the Meier drama, well Nate should apologize to the men and women of the department and the city and leave. He won’t. I’ve worked with Nate and he’s just not going to man up and take responsibility.
Yeah, I know he got time off, however his behavior has harmed and continues to harm the department, for the good of the department he needs to resign.
Because of the actions of a few the entire department is under fire. To the City Council members who campaigned to support police, looks like your lips were moving you sure turned you back on them when they needed you most.
The current city manager, the entire police department is not broken, yet it appears the city is headed down the road of New York, Seattle and San Francisco, to become an anti-police city.
Your decision to allow citizens to review police and practices to see if they are valid and warranted is dangerous and puts you on a slippery slope. If you have not walked in those shoes, you are clueless on how they make decisions in a split second.
To the current “leadership” of the Police Department, a good leader supports the men and women under them, they do not throw them under the bus at the first question of why did this happen.
Chief Wilson, all I have seen and heard from you is “I want an investigation and I will find answers.” You seem all too willing to sacrifice the reputations and lives of the men and women of the department, no one including you is perfect.
If body cams are good for officers, I’d love to see every sworn member of the department wear one. Wonder what it would show at the Chief’s level?
What can Aurora expect in the next chief? A puppet. Someone who will be a yes man to the city manager and city council. Not someone who will protect the men and women who proudly wear a badge and work every day to make Aurora a better place.
If you are interested in a career in law enforcement stay away from Aurora, never thought I’d say that. If you have not been there long get out. If you are close to retirement find a way to leave.
For those who have been there a long time and not close enough to retire, find a way. Aurora’s pay and benefits are not reflective of other agencies, you deserve better than the city and your so called “leadership” is willing to give you.
As always to the men and women who wear the badge and patrol the streets, I will always have your back. Stay safe.
— Tina Crux, via letters@SentinelColorado.com