AURORA | A new independent board that would deliberate on certain police discipline cases received pushback from Aurora City Council at a study session Monday.
The plan, drafted by former Police Chief Dan Oates, top police administrators and city staff, is asking council to appoint 20 citizens to serve as rotating jurors on an independent review board, with the requirement that the participants attend a mandatory policy academy session. The board would only be advisory and have no power to change police discipline or affect internal police cases.
The requirement drew ire from councilwoman Barb Cleland and others.
“The positive in our city is our diversity. You’re not going to see that diversity in the police academy,” Cleland said. “My suggestion is that portion be taken out. I’ve been to alumni stuff for the Citizens Police Academy, and they’re wonderful. (But) I don’t see a lot of diversity, I see a lot of (people) my age.”
Aurora City Manager Skip Noe said the academy requirement was negotiated with the Aurora Police Association as a way to move forward with the independent board.
“We’re trying to have a group of folks who understand what police work is like. It’s not just watching a cop show on TV,” he said.
While no single incident has prompted a call for police review systems, a variety of incidents during the past few years has drawn attention to police discipline procedures, citizen oversight and transparency in the department as a way to build and ensure public confidence. In August of 2013, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan suggested the city hire an independent police monitor, an idea that drew fire from the former Oates, who recently took a position in Miami Beach, Florida.
The board would only be used to deliberate on serious police discipline cases that include use of force, in-custody deaths, traffic collisions that result from emergency vehicles operations and pursuits, and alleged bias policing, according to city documents.
For each case, 4 of the 20 participants would be chosen at random to serve on a panel with four officers (two peer officers, one lieutanent, and one member of the command staff). A facilitator will also be present, but will not be a voting member.
Participants selected by council will only be allowed to participate in one case per year, and will be selected at random, Noe said.
According to city documents, the board will be able to make a recommendation to the police chief before a decision is made, but the panel would not issue a final decision on cases.
Noe said city staff studied 60 other municipalities that use a public review system, and came up with the IRB based on Phoenix and El Paso, cities with over 250,000 that use the model for civilian input.
The idea has received approval from the Aurora Police Association, and the Aurora Civil Service Commission. APA union and city attorneys worked on the proposal for several weeks to ensure it respects the chief’s rights and the appeal process, said APA President Mark Finnan at a public safety committee meeting June 3.
The board will require the city to hire a new part-time employee for its Human Resources staff to oversee the process, who will receive a salary of $75,000 annually. It will be administered by the Dan Quillen, the director for the city’s Internal Services Division.
Skip Noe said the city could look at making the citizens academy a requirement after a citizen is appointed to the board.
Council members agreed the plan should go back to a public safety committee meeting for further review.
Do not understand Councilmember Cleland’s comment about diversity of Citizen Police Academy Alumni – is she an Alumni? I agree there needs to more diversity, but is Age the only criteria of diversity.
I also don’t get what diversity has to do with the Police Academy or the IRB. I really don’t think Ms. Cleland understands her comment either.
YeAh whatever they’ve been trying to get together a citizen review board since 2005 when APD officers shot and killed Daniel Dawson along with several others. The Aurora police will continue to act as if they want to offer it’s city transparency but the reality is it never will. .. sad
Speaking of transparency: https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/mother-police-shot-son-19-times
True story…. after a short chase a vehicle carrying three suspects crashes and a foot pursuit began. Shots were fired in the direction of officers all three suspects were apprehended. Their story to police is that there was actually a fourth individual who escaped by the name of Ghost. Hence the legend of Ghost the potential cop killer. Reality Dan was hiding behind a trash dumpster awaiting the arrival of a ride after fleeing the attempted apprehension by authorities who had tracked him to a girlfriends house. His first ride had never showed up (they were the three “friends” who were now blaming him for their ignorance in the back of a squad car) The back up ride arriving and taking him to a safe place.
My point in telling this story is when trying to protect the public from people who are known to be on drugs and living in a highly paranoid and manic state it seems the logical way to diffuse things would be to approach the people who have an emotional attachment to the sought party and attempt an uneventful arrest. Not feeding into the ego’s and engaging in months long gi. Joe pursuits that put everybody evolved at risk.
Although we are a bit off topic I must add that all 19 entry wounds were to Dan ‘ back, there were no spent cartridges matching his firearms and the presence of residue wasn’t found on his hands which leads me to believe that he was running and the officers reacted to the Assumption that he would fire on them not to the actual firing upon them. Which again would cause me to question the investigation methods and over all character of the APD I believe the department has and continues to engage in the same street antics that warfare that they pursue.
Why should a police officer wait until he is shot at to protect himself? Police officers should have some lead way to protect themselves. If a criminal does not want to be shot at, obey the law. Being a police officer is a very dangerous job these days with out of control criminals just waiting to take them out.
I could write paragraphs in response but, am positive your friendship with Dan would blur your ability to see the other side of things.
Instead I will say I’m sorry you lost your friend and that a wife and children (and so many more) lost their loved one.
I wish he had made other choices since so many needed him and were probably counting on him to be here for them.
Are you referring to the Daniel Dawson who was actively wanted, told friends he would shot police if confronted, been arrested 30 times, high on meth, armed with two guns, and fired at police while attempting to escape capture, but was killed when fire was returned?
That’s not the right Daniel Dawson; is it?
Yes that’s Daniel Dawson who was also a father a husband and a friend who had walked away from a half way house and was actually a scape goat for other cowardly criminals. Not saying that he didn’t live up to the hype but had APD done any real police work instead of crediting the false accounts of wanna be gangstas and giving them an easy way out of taking responsibility for their actions. For example had even one officer spoke with maybe his uncle who had recently put his house up for his bond or his friend where he spent Christmas with his kids I have no doubt that we could have orchestrated a peaceful surrender in which after he paid for the crimes he had “actually” committed he would still be alive to watch his kids grow.
I’m not really sure why anyone would care what Dan Oates thought or wanted shortly before his departure from Aurora.
Secondly, what is the point of deliberating and making suggestions if an Internal Review Board has no teeth? Investing one’s time in this endeavor would be a total waste in that case.
Further, why would a person who sits on a panel once a year, be required to attend 14 weeks of the Citizen Police Academy? A citizens best education would come from the ride-along experience. Require them to ride in all three districts, at different times of the day and night with street patrol. No Sgt.’s or above and, without anyone knowing that the rider is working towards approval for the IRB.
Go back to the drawing board. You’re nowhere close to backing an officer who is unpopular with command staff and is being disciplined for the wrong reason. Or, holding a popular officer with the command staff, accountable for misconduct.
Last but not least, $75,000 a year for part-time?