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

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.