[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6636429,"mediaKeyId","2609894-a43fc27d5ec7b3cec678f660a637da04","parentId",2609894,"title","Police present evidence-based strategy, cite crime declines and warn of staffing shortfalls","audioSeconds",942,"startMs",3037000,"endMs",3979000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609894-a43fc27d5ec7b3cec678f660a637da04&start=3037&end=3979","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609894-a43fc27d5ec7b3cec678f660a637da04/thumbnail_3037000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6636429/Aurora-City/Douglas-County/Colorado/Police-present-evidence-based-strategy-cite-crime-declines-and-warn-of-staffing-shortfalls","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636429-b19a2ab0ee97d516aab8a50172f422d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204345&Signature=GP4CXxJDHJvwJVwf4n8p07XRCQkA2AZlT72vq7OxGRtaMRR0C4r3oJR1OMFR8WzzorvC-NCKK7X4W7rJzTl~xSLIculwKg9xmJK~gXNkZoai-vULaj6NeYBKHF6IxFHfSVM90UwbShLr27rg1muIgnHDFSA~XF7Wfy2K4xtdG6z0xfAaJ7cWqfhYSxpmaOUPPGQQk5iDzrGZCwgACKNLr7juorgDSPGIW0XluRsJkWK9A3tDCfY7OTyCNEnVVY92G28az7ajuPVxXR1KDm7emwX5jSK~h7-9F5NcRT-pKJrB67J9kwTU8lJSt0w1Z06sSEwEZ3bOm322CUB2raG1Mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Aurora City, CO","date","2025-03-13T21:31:16.837Z","article","The Aurora Police Department told the Public Safety Committee it is implementing an evidence-based policing framework aimed at reducing crime through hot-spot enforcement, place-based remedies and long-term intervention, and reported year-to-date crime declines alongside continuing staffing shortfalls.

Police leadership (identified in the transcript as Police Chief (unnamed)) described a three-part approach: near-term hot-spot policing, mid-term place-based work on problem properties and long-term intervention and prevention programs such as call-ins/Operation Ceasefire. \"When you look at evidence-based policing ... it's about can we validate if what our actions are doing or having an impact on that crime or not,\" the Police Chief said.

The department presented data comparing the same period last year with this year: 2,668 crimes at this time last year versus 2,062 this year, a decrease of 606 incidents (about 22.7% lower). The chief highlighted reductions in several categories: aggravated assaults down 29, shootings down 16 (shots where a bullet struck a person down 5), and homicides down 4. He credited cultural and organizational changes and said commanders are now required to identify and measure outcomes in high-problem locations.

Police staff outlined several operational changes: moving DART and other specialized teams back into patrol for better integration; creating a real-time crime center; auditing specialized functions (SWAT, K-9, missing-children investigations); and modifying policies. The department said it has changed pursuit policy incrementally to allow pursuits for suspected DUI drivers and, more recently, for stolen vehicles. Off-duty employment rules were tightened to require two officers at certain private assignments; some stations will provide marked vehicles for off-duty security details.

The department described targeted intervention work. It said call-ins under an Operation Ceasefire model identified three high-risk individuals connected to roughly 25 shootings; those individuals received follow-up and monitoring. The department also cited a pilot outreach program and crisis clinician partnerships (contract renewed via RFP later this year) and said the city is showing progress on veteran homelessness, with the by-name list of veterans awaiting housing falling from 62 to 30 individuals.

Staffing data was a central focus. Police leadership said the city's population is about 404,000 and that staffing should be about 808 sworn officers to meet a standard near the Colorado/national ratios; the department is authorized at 748 positions, has 695 on payroll, and reported 589 fully operational officers on duty (numbers reflect absences for light duty, military leave, injury and training). The chief said recruiting has improved with an academy class but that gaps remain: \"If we can't get the bodies, vacancy savings is what's used for technology and overtime,\" he said. Recruiting numbers cited in the briefing: an academy class started with 52 and had 46 still in training at the time of the meeting.

The committee also reviewed homelessness and outreach work tied to public safety. Staff said nightly shelter at a new Navigation Campus is open (100 to 140 individuals nightly) and that the city's street outreach teams have helped people accept services and housing. Two newly operational homeless outreach officers logged 203 hours and 55 minutes and engaged with hundreds of people; staff reported totals including 43 people housed and 247 people who evaded contact during enforcement in the period covered.

Ending: Police leadership emphasized measurement, audits and incremental policy changes, saying the department will continue a phased approach to pursuits, off-duty work and hotspot deployments, while the city and department pursue hiring and technology to close staffing gaps. No binding ordinance or contract changes were approved at the meeting; the presentation was informational and produced follow-up auditing and staffing analyses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Safety, Courts & Civil Service Policy Committee - March 2024","oneSentenceSummary","Aurora Police presented a multi-quarter \"scribe\" evidence-based policing strategy, said crime is down year-to-date from last year, described hotspot and long-term intervention efforts including call-ins, and highlighted staffing shortages and policy changes on pursuits and off-duty work.","taxTitle","Aurora City, Douglas County, Colorado","taxId",5767,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636434,"Aurora fire officials outline wildfire risks, request resources and urge homeowner mitigation",529,49000,578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609894-a43fc27d5ec7b3cec678f660a637da04&start=49&end=578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609894-a43fc27d5ec7b3cec678f660a637da04/thumbnail_49000.jpg","/articles/6636434/Aurora-City/Douglas-County/Colorado/Aurora-fire-officials-outline-wildfire-risks-request-resources-and-urge-homeowner-mitigation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636434-ed84546673686274e60845f05d40907f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204345&Signature=mXj0~K-9t7vbXS5EJOWjOnF90HrSTCy52PQU38z5Q99Xigvd7SL8kkFU3mjk267h53~e4nXXGUacZMOO82sgdjVLj8GzukpC1c4Wmp7iKWeupzKWlcTiIDZfMHojBxukBFfb3IeBD0cOdrWJeaB2w5vH7xalxNytpLvIGSgIweZ6~07Yh0JCgzvKIQV154jBXIIwcWwwTZLSL9MI93y6nTF8gtyQ8irdhAqs0NcU5nJXlqCHwsI57hW0Y9q0mDyzNth3UdJvPKWuSAsurnvoqxVC7EkmrnW75GfCfjCkn~IWsoVU5HPAzvFCXAywUla1wgOGYBcix450ddrXMw9vdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Aurora Fire Department leaders told the Public Safety Committee that the city has a layered approach to wildland fire risk—mitigation, response and recovery—and urged more local mitigation and resources to keep fires small and protect homes.

Division Chief Steve Wright and Assistant Chief Hunter Hackbarth presented the department's 2025 wildland update, explaining how the city decides on fire bans, how the department deploys its wildland team, and what recovery looks like after a large incident. \"Part of what goes into that are three metrics that gauge the fuel moisture in a certain square feet and then the energy released by that fuel,\" Hunter Hackbarth said, adding that the department receives data from CU Boulder meteorology scientists to help assess those metrics.

Fire staff described a three-stage Aurora fire-ban model. Stage 1 is effectively the baseline (fireworks are illegal except for the municipal window June 15\u0000July 5). Stage 2 limits model rockets, bonfires and recreational fires. Stage 3 restricts many backyard and commercial outdoor fires and can affect smoking in public. Staff said the last time restrictions reached the most severe stage was around 2020.

On response resources, the department said its specialty wildland team includes five brush trucks and one Type 3 engine. Wright said the department's ideal resource allocation would include more Type 3 engines and explained the operational need: \"With our growth and our risk in the communities we have, one thing I think is underserved in our city is the Type 3, the fire truck. That's really what would be used to protect homes,\" he said, later noting that he would prefer three Type 3 engines rather than the single one currently available.

Staff said they have applied for federal grants to purchase a Type 3 engine, equipment and mobile radio repeaters to improve communications in rural areas. The department confirmed it has submitted FEMA and other federal grant applications but currently has no award updates. \"They have received it,\" one staff member said of federal grantors, but decisions appeared to be paused while federal programs were under review.

The presentation described mitigation work with other city departments and community groups. Fire personnel said they assess city-owned properties, coordinate with Parks and Recreation and the water department, and conduct on-site mitigation such as removing dead trees and mowing high grass (the department cited Hutchinson Channel as an example). Staff urged local homeowners and HOAs to trim vegetation and remove dead trees and said trimming juniper trees up 8 feet and irrigating them greatly reduces risk.

Fire staff also discussed mutual-aid and air support arrangements. The city participates with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (battalion 13) and with neighboring jurisdictions (Arapahoe and Adams counties and South Metro). Staff noted Douglas County has a helicopter resource available; South Metro mitigates unincorporated areas and the agencies would mutual-aid each other. The department said its wildland team has about 55 members and that its deployments to other states (including Los Angeles, New Mexico and Texas) provide training and experience at little or no cost to Aurora.

The recovery discussion emphasized coordination across city lifelines—public safety, shelter, water and utilities, communications and transportation—and the need for robust financial tracking to obtain state and federal reimbursement after disasters. Staff said recovery includes damage assessments, behavioral health services and working with private insurers and economic partners to restore businesses and housing.

Ending: Fire staff stressed that while Aurora has trained personnel and mutual-aid partners, large incidents can exceed local resources. They recommended continued emphasis on homeowner mitigation, intergovernmental coordination, grant-seeking for equipment and communications upgrades, and public outreach linking code enforcement and fire mitigation messaging.","Aurora Fire Department staff briefed the Public Safety Committee on wildfire preparedness, response and recovery, described the city's fire-ban stages and metrics, said grants were pending, and recommended stronger community mitigation and interagency coordination.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":79,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":82,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636438,"Committee to Revisit City Storage for Recovered Stolen Vehicles After High Impound Costs",276,325000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609894-a43fc27d5ec7b3cec678f660a637da04&start=49&end=325","/articles/6636438/Aurora-City/Douglas-County/Colorado/Committee-to-Revisit-City-Storage-for-Recovered-Stolen-Vehicles-After-High-Impound-Costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636438-27d283b7b4b6e4b95c071ef27f0bd7d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204345&Signature=Alr8tw~zoJ4uynEN99sGgMuhfDakzqzVg-h2N7Gahp9wc4tzjbK3dMkCMndi2lVmJURS698FqXDasAsWi~LCmk65IseJ6kB-PBNUvg~blfvmiXIBIom2SiYy5IpasVKyU-gjIJR1Uyp~T2VQC3Na65XuDywaDYkl3fg-3gHVw-7Y7mRYV4V6X-AHtN6k7WWhpJHDqbgJ~GHnDMZ-xvidxPWKZztNDGXImU4g-HO-BapB8oMrkll-zrnZ31JpjchRR3kc6QukHUXTNbSbBwk6ua2JsC~rzYeXGlpCXR~DbAruRnT6qZGXsQNaYqRClmEH1PkJeD-ZdBace6n5JWOoCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilmembers at the Aurora City Public Safety Committee were told the city's motor vehicle theft recovery voucher program has cost the city tens of thousands of dollars in recent months, and members directed staff to revisit whether the city should hold recovered vehicles on city property rather than relying entirely on contracted tow yards.

The discussion began when a staff member, Jason (staff member), reported that in February the program reimbursed $20,185 to recover 86 vehicles; in 2024 the program reimbursed $347,749 for 1,364 recovered vehicles; and from the program's start in January 2023 through February 2025 the city has paid $885,092 to recover 3,552 vehicles. \"For the motor vehicle recovery theft program, in February, there was $20,185 vouchers redeemed for 86 vehicles,\" Jason said. He added that as of January year-to-date there were 181 vehicles in process.

Why the monthly bill can be high was explained in the meeting. A councilmember asked whether a single vendor, M and M, was charging the city; another member confirmed \"M and M is charging us $20,000 to get 86 vehicles off their lot.\" Jason and other staff said those costs reflect tow fees, storage and administrative fees and that the average figure in the example would be about $241 per vehicle. Staff said the vendor requires vehicle owners to pick up recovered vehicles within 72 hours and that daily storage fees—\"probably $80 a day if they don't pick it up\"—contribute to the cost.

Several councilmembers raised the possibility of using city land to store recovered stolen vehicles to reduce recurring tow-and-storage fees. One councilmember referenced a prior conversation with Councilmember Marcano before he left office and requested that staff revisit the idea of pouring a concrete slab or identifying a small city-owned site to hold vehicles recovered specifically from theft. \"I think now may be the time that we potentially look at that,\" the chair said, asking staff to return with options.

Staff cautioned that many departments contract with private tow companies because holding vehicles in-house requires staffing, security and dedicated impound personnel. Jason noted the distinction between vehicles recovered from theft—those the city has been paying to reclaim—and other impounded vehicles taken for registration, license or plate violations. For November–February, staff reported the city took in 638 impounded vehicles for no registration, no license or expired plates (November 195; December 177; January 135; February 131). Those vehicles, staff said, could continue to be sent to M and M under a bifurcated approach while theft-recovered vehicles were considered for separate handling.

Committee members asked for a focused follow-up rather than a large-scale facility: staff and council agreed the city likely would not need a thousand parking spaces and instructed staff to prepare options. Division staff agreed to return with a review; Jason said he would place the item on the April agenda for committee consideration.

Ending: The committee also moved routine consent items and approved minutes from November before the discussion. No ordinance, contract or budget amendment was adopted during the discussion; the committee's direction was to have staff bring back a report and options on city-controlled storage for recovered stolen vehicles at the April meeting.","Aurora City staff reported rising costs for the motor vehicle theft recovery voucher program and impound storage; councilmembers directed staff to put a review of city-owned storage/holding options on the April agenda.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Police present evidence-based strategy, cite crime declines and warn of staffing shortfalls

Aurora fire officials outline wildfire risks, request resources and urge homeowner mitigation

Committee to Revisit City Storage for Recovered Stolen Vehicles After High Impound Costs