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Aurora residents urge council to remove police chief, push for civilian oversight
Summary
Multiple residents at an Aurora public comment session demanded immediate action on police accountability, including calls for Police Chief Todd Chamberlain to resign or be removed and for a democratically elected civilian oversight body; several speakers recounted family members killed by officers and cited APD policy and state law failures.
At a public comment listening session, multiple Aurora residents urged the City Council to take immediate action on police accountability, including demands that Police Chief Todd Chamberlain resign and that the city create a democratically elected civilian oversight council.
Cassandra Hill, a resident and public commenter, said the Aurora Police Department was "found guilty of patterns and practices of racism and excessive violence in 2020, and has been under a consent decree ever since." She alleged a list of cover-ups and accused Chief Todd Chamberlain of actions she described as unacceptable, saying, "The people of Aurora demand that Todd Chamberlain resign immediately." Hill also called for the council to work with "local activists to create a Civilian Police Accountability Council, a democratically elected council of civilians that have the ultimate say over every aspect of policing."
Other speakers gave personal testimony about police violence. Shadena Lewis, who identified herself as the grandmother of Kylan Aaron Lewis, said her grandson "was shot and killed by officer Deeks" and that he "didn't have a weapon." Kyowa Lewis told the council she has been speaking publicly since her brother was killed and warned the new council that failure to change policing practices could cost officials their seats.
At the same session, Kayla Calandres, who described herself as a longtime Aurora resident, said she reported multiple domestic violence incidents to the Aurora Police Department and received only automated responses. Citing APD Directive 300 and Colorado Revised Statute 18-6-800.3, she said the department "did not" follow its own protocols — which require officers to "respond without delay" and to evaluate victim safety on site — and requested "an independent probe, discipline for the departments involved, and some type of reparations for the systematic breach that happened to me." She added, "Our directives are not suggestions, they're binding. So hold them to it."
Speakers referenced the city's ongoing consent decree and named local activist group DACAG in urging a transparent, civilian-led process for selecting and overseeing police leadership. Commenters framed their demands as both a response to specific cases of alleged misconduct and as part of broader calls for systemic reform.
The public comment period produced no immediate council action recorded in the transcript. Staff closed public comment and the meeting proceeded into the regular council session.
