City of Aurora may reinstate volunteer reserve police force
City of Aurora city council member Danielle Jurinsky is introducing a proposed ordinance to reinstate a volunteer reserve police program. The original program was abolished in 2005. Current or former city employees and retired officers will be able to apply and work alongside Aurora police officers.
"They will always be working with a full-time police officer," said Interim Aurora Police Chief Art Acevedo.
That means they will be armed and have all the protections and authority of a full-time police officer when they are on duty and with a full-time officer, but they will also need to go through the same hiring and background investigation process APD lateral recruits do and need to be certified by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board following six weeks of training.
"This will be a well-regulated, very restrictive, very focused, mission-oriented program," said Acevedo.
The Aurora Police Department has been under heavy scrutiny for the conduct of their officers over the past several years. They were investigated by the Colorado Attorney General who found APD has a pattern and practice of racially biased policing against people of color, notably Black people, a pattern and practice of using force excessively and a pattern and practice of failing to document stops as required.
In addition, it found Aurora Fire Rescue has a pattern and practice of administering ketamine illegally. As a result, the city and police department entered into a consent decree to fix these problems.
In a study session held July 24, council member Juan Marcano expressed concerns that this program could get the city and APD officers in trouble if the volunteers make a mistake.
"Talk me off the ledge here, what guarantee do we really have that this isn't going to backfire on our existing sworn officers or the city?" Marcano asked.
The answer to the question is complicated, but Acevedo says he hopes to avoid that situation altogether by only hiring high caliber applicants, and is quick to point out that the department is making changes and accountability for these volunteers will be as great if not greater than for regular officers.
"If they step out and don't follow our policies and procedures or training, they won't last," said Acevedo.
One group that will benefit the most is fire paramedics and doctors working as SWAT medics. Acevedo says this will make their jobs safer.
"These swat teams are quite often the first ones to respond and when we have firefighters or trauma docs embedded with them, it's really important to make sure that they can protect themselves and their patients and whomever else they need to protect," said Acevedo.
The program will be limited to only 35 nonpaid volunteers, but Acevedo says every little bit helps.
"It's a win-win. I think at the end of the day, it puts us in a better position to protect the people of Aurora," said Acevedo.
Acevedo points out that programs like this exist in cities and towns across the nation. According to city attorney manager Pete Schulte, Arapahoe County has a similar program where some South Metro firefighters serve as volunteer deputies. The proposed ordinance will be introduced at the city council meeting planned for July 31.
