Aurora City Council rejects MOU with GEO facility after hours of public testimony

The Aurora City Council declined to approve a proposed memorandum of understanding between the Aurora Police Department and the GEO‑operated Aurora processing center on Monday, rejecting the measure on a 6–4 vote after lengthy public testimony opposing the agreement.

The resolution (Resolution 2026‑30) would have formalized operational parameters for APD responses to criminal and emergency incidents at the facility. Mayor Kaufman moved to adopt the resolution; the motion was seconded by Council member Hancock and brought for a roll‑call vote. After an initial announcement of the tally that the chair corrected on the record, the clerk confirmed the motion failed 6‑4.

City staff said the document is an interagency understanding—intended to set incident‑command procedures and clarify when APD might deploy officers to the quasi‑federal site—and stressed it does not override state or federal law. Police staff and the city’s legal adviser advised against negotiating changes on the dais and recommended any substantive…