Aurora leaders hear police chief’s plan as budget cuts would eliminate 35 positions

Chief Matt Thomas told the Finance Committee on Nov. 13 that Aurora’s police department has made “significant milestones” in 2025 and laid out four priorities for 2026: preserve core services, retain staff, modernize technology and formalize community feedback.

Thomas said an internal staffing study confirmed Aurora’s patrol is appropriately staffed at about 150 officers and recommended adding specialized sworn and non‑sworn roles. Deputy Chief Steve Stemmit presented budget detail showing an approximate 7% increase in the department’s 2026 budget overall, but staff also identified about $5,400,000 in decrements that would eliminate 35 positions through a mix of vacancies (about 20), attrition and one layoff.

Stemmit said the decrements are grouped by impact. Smaller reductions include eliminating a duplicated $600,000 holiday/overtime budget line; larger cuts reduce overtime, specialized training and non‑essential overtime-driven enforcement. The most serious bucket includes 35 personnel reductions (nine sworn positions and the loss of multiple non‑sworn roles such as dispatcher vacancies and cadet spots). "We are going to have to slow down the modernizing of our technology," Thomas said, noting that some contract renegotiations saved the department money (he cited reduced costs for ShotSpotter and Fusus).

Aldermen pressed chiefs for operational detail and resident impact. Alderman Dan Barreiro asked whether the cadet program could be pared rather than paused; Stemmit said the city will eliminate cadet slots through attrition and expects to retain roughly half of the allotted cadet positions through transition in 2026. On dispatch staffing, staff said the center currently has about 20–22 working dispatchers out of 33 allotted positions and that eliminating eight vacant dispatcher positions for the year is meant as a temporary measure so the city can hire and train replacements in 2026.

Several aldermen voiced concern that reduced training and staff could erode gains in crime reduction, traffic enforcement and community policing. Chief Thomas and his deputies repeatedly framed the reductions as short‑term sacrifices tied to citywide budget constraints and emphasized that some cuts (for example, reduced work‑group training) are intended to meet state mandates while minimizing safety impacts. As Thomas put it: "We're hoping that we're only managing this temporarily for next year and keep our core services for the community."

Committee members also asked about specific line items flagged for cuts, including a $55,000 elimination of an explorer program and $1.6 million in deferred squad car purchases (a fleet fund saving). Staff said some ongoing programs—such as the COP unit and school resource officers—are being prioritized to remain operational and that renegotiated cost‑sharing with several school districts will shift more SRO costs to the districts.

No formal vote on the police budget occurred at the hearing; the session served as the department’s presentation and Q&A ahead of later budget hearings and council action. Several aldermen signaled the conversation will continue during upcoming capital and budget sessions.