AURORA POLICE DEPARTMENT 15001 East Alameda Parkway Aurora, Colorado 80012
AURORA POLICE DEPARTMENT 15001 East Alameda Parkway Aurora, Colorado 80012
Chief of Police DANIEL J. OATES
Deputy Chief TERENCE F. JONES
Operations Division Chief KENNETH M. MURPHY
Investigative Division Chief ROGER J. CLOYD
Manager of Business Services The Aurora Police Department is an accredited law enforcement WILLIAM C. CURTIS agency and meets the high standards of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)
2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS section one: introduction ...... 4 section two: uniform crime reporting system ...... 7 section three: crime in comparative cities ...... 8 section four: city of aurora summary 2009 - 2010 ...... 15 section five: crime trend summary ...... 21 section six: significant accomplishments ...... 22 section seven: community involvement ...... 26 section eight: units in the spotlight ...... 29 section nine: major case resolutions ...... 33 section ten: employee awards ...... 37 section eleven: future efforts ...... 41
Dedication ceremony held in honor of the late Code Enforcement Officer Rodney Morales (November 2010).
K-9 Officer Mike Hanifin provides assistance during Captain Terry Brown shows off an APD motorcycle a narcotics investigation involving a vehicle traveling During the 5th Annual Pumpkin Patch event at the on the highway. Children’s Hospital (October 2010).
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SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to provide an accurate view of the City of Aurora‟s crime and traffic-related issues for the 2009 – 2010 period. The report examines the state of crime relative to cities of similar size, as well as a review of 2009 and 2010 crime trends in Aurora. The final sections of the report examine specific initiatives completed in 2010, initiatives projected for 2011, and honors bestowed upon our Officers and the Department.
1.1 | POPULATION
The City of Aurora continues to grow. Police District Square Miles Population Over the past 25 years, the population of the city has nearly doubled, with an average growth rate of approximately District 1 19 120,280 4,000 per year. This statistic is important when assessing the crime rate District 2 100 84,520 for the city. Additionally, the land mass of the city has also grown from 147 District 3 53 120,278 square miles in 2005 to 154 in 2010, impacting the department‟s response The individual sums exceed the total due to GIS mapping that times to citizen requests for service. has the districts covering some areas outside of Aurora.
325,000 Aurora Population Growth over the last 25 Years
300,000
275,000
250,000
225,000
200,000
These population estimates reflect numbers created by the City’s Planning Department and the official 2010 census. Population estimates reported by the FBI for Crime Statistics are developed by the U.S. Census Bureau and are not always in agreement with calculated estimates provided by Aurora for the years between each official census.
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1.2 | DEPARTMENT DEMOGRAPHICS
Number of Percent of Category Sworn Sworn White 544 85.3% Black 25 3.9% Hispanic 47 7.4% Asian 7 1.1% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1 0.2% American Indian 7 1.1% Two or More Races 7 1.1%
1.3 | DEPARTMENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The Department expects that every member will work to continuously improve the quality of life in Aurora and will strive:
1. To reduce crime and the fear of crime;
2. To partner with the community to identify and solve problems;
3. To operate the Department with maximum efficiency.
1.4 | CONNECTING THE DOTS AND SOLVING CRIMES
The monthly “Crime, Quality of Life and Traffic” (CQT) meeting continues to provide a valuable communication instrument for the entire Department and an opportunity for the Chief of Police and Executive Staff to ensure that the Department‟s principles are being followed. This strategy meeting also serves a dual purpose in that operational commanders are required to discuss areas where they are succeeding and those where they are not. It also provides a forum for all Department units to offer assistance to solve problems and put more eyes on the crime and policing challenges that affect the city. CQT meetings continually help units align their operations with the Department and City mission and goals.
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School Resource Officer Jennifer Spanos is pictured here talking with Columbia Middle School students. Officer Spanos, who was selected for this special assignment, believes that by serving as an SRO, she is able to have a positive impact on the kids and their families by serving as a positive role model and mentor. In 2010, the APD had 22 officers and 2 sergeants assigned to the SRO program covering 13 middle schools and 9 high schools.
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SECTION TWO: UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) annually publishes the “Crime in the US” report. The report relies on data collected and reported by participating agencies. Additionally, the report adheres to the established Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) standards. The UCR aims to create consistency in reporting for all participating agencies nationwide.
The Aurora Police Department voluntarily participates in the UCR system. For the purposes of this report, the focus will be on the seven major crimes reported in UCR. These are the only crimes reported nationally to the FBI and the only measures to compare one city‟s crime trends to another. For reporting purposes, the seven major crimes are categorized into two groups: Violent Crime (murder, forcible sex assault [rape], aggravated assault, robbery) and Property Crime (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft). The Total Major Crime or Index Crime is an aggregate of the total Violent Crime and total Property Crime, providing an overall view of major crime in an area.
The UCR system counts each victim of murder, sex assault and aggravated assault as an individual crime occurrence, whereas only incidents of robbery, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft are counted. This means that a double murder occurring at the same time in the same location is treated as two murders but a robbery in which a store clerk and three customers are the victims is only counted as one robbery. The FBI collects data continuously but publishes its final report on crime for a given year in the fall of the succeeding year. The 2010 FBI data will not be available until mid-2011.
2.1 | REPORTING METHODOLOGY
Two reporting methods are utilized in this report: volume and rate. Volume represents the actual number of crime incidents reported in accordance with the UCR. While the volume of crime in a specific area is critical to strategic planning and identifying trends, this statistic does not provide a comparative measure.
The rate of crime interprets the volume in terms of population. A rate provides a method for comparison of data between different agencies. For the purposes of this report, rates are stated as volume (or UCR incidents) per 1,000 citizens in the population.
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SECTION THREE: CRIME IN COMPARATIVE CITIES
The City of Aurora compares to 39 other similar-sized municipalities that participate in the UCR system. Aurora is grouped with law enforcement jurisdictions servicing a population between 250,000 and 499,999. Because city growth dictates who is included in the group, the composition of the group can change each year. As a result, our comparisons are restricted to a one-year historical view. Within this section, the report analyzes rates of crime in accordance with the UCR rules. 2009 IN BRIEF 40 COMPARABLE CITIES
National City of Aurora Averages Results Population 348,258 324,014 Violent Crime 8.05/1,000 4.70/1,000
Property Crime 43.13/1,000 30.98/1,000
Index Crime 50.18/1,000 35.68/1,000
An Officer assigned to the Emergency Response Team receives training in fire suppression at the Rocky Mountain Fire Academy (September School Resource Officers are pictured above with several new vehicles 2010). purchased for the School Resource Officer Unit (May 2010).
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3.1 | CITY – OFFICER STAFFING COMPARRISIONS
2009 Officers Per 1,000 Residents (Aurora 1.94 / Average 2.04) 5
4
3
2
1
0
Tulsa
Mesa
Plano
Miami
Aurora
Toledo
Buffalo
Tampa Fresno
Lincoln
Wichita
Omaha
Newark Raleigh
St. Paul St.
Average Oakland
St. Louis St.
Stockton
Arlington Anaheim
Glendale
Chandler
Riverside
Lexington
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Santa Ana Santa
Anchorage
Henderson
Bakersfield
Fort Wayne Fort
Greensboro
Kansas City Kansas
Long Beach Long
Minneapolis
Sacramento
Corpus Christi Corpus Virginia Beach Virginia Colorado Springs Colorado
Officers take a suspect into custody.
A member of the Honor Guard.
Kids visit with K-9 Sergeant Rex McKinney and his K-9 partner during the 2010 Take 25 Officers and firefighters respond to a hazmat incident near event which was held at the Aurora Municipal Laredo Street and Colfax Avenue (June 2010). Courthouse (May 2010).
Page | 9 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
3.2 | CITY – POPULATION COMPARRISON
40 Comparable Cities for 2009 Comparable City Population for 2009
Fort Wayne 251,584 Fort Wayne Greensboro 253,191 Greensboro Lincoln 254,438 Lincoln Glendale 255,080 Glendale Chandler 256,091 Chandler Henderson 261,883 Henderson Buffalo 268,655 Buffalo Plano 272,747 Plano Newark 279,203 Newark St. Paul 280,194 St. Paul Anchorage 283,300 Anchorage Corpus Christi 287,507 Corpus Christi Stockton 292,212 Stockton Lexington 296,406 Lexington Riverside 299,871 Riverside Pittsburgh 312,232 Pittsburgh Aurora 324,014 Aurora Bakersfield 330,897 Bakersfield Cincinnati 333,568 Cincinnati Anaheim 335,970 Anaheim New Orleans 336,425 New Orleans Santa Ana 339,196 Santa Ana Tampa 345,233 Tampa Average 348,258 Average St. Louis 355,208 St. Louis Wichita 367,635 Wichita Arlington 379,104 Arlington Minneapolis 382,618 Minneapolis Tulsa 384,851 Tulsa Colorado Springs 401,626 Colorado Springs Oakland 404,553 Oakland Raleigh 406,005 Raleigh Miami 419,205 Miami Cleveland 429,238 Cleveland Virginia Beach 436,175 Virginia Beach Omaha 443,037 Omaha Long Beach 463,969 Sacramento 470,308 Long Beach Mesa 470,833 Sacramento Fresno 481,370 Mesa Kansas City, MO 484,684 Fresno
Kansas City
100,000 300,000 500,000 700,000
Page | 10 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
3.3 | CRIME IN PERSPECTIVE (2009)
In 2009 for the category of Violent Crime, the City of Aurora ranked 10th lowest out of the 40 comparable cities. In that same year, Aurora had a Violent Crime rate of 4.70 UCR incidents per 1,000 in population, which was below the 40-city average of 8.05.
In 2009 for the category of Property Crime the City of Aurora ranked 9th lowest of the 40 cities. In that same year, Aurora had a Property Crime rate of 30.98 UCR incidents per 1,000 in population which, was below the 40 city average of 43.13.
The overall view of crime in Aurora places the City 8th best, with a UCR rate of 35.68 major crimes per 1,000 residents. This is below the 40-city average of 50.18 incidents. In 2008, Aurora was 11th best with a UCR rate of 38.83 UCR incidents compared to the 40-city average rate of 53.96 incidents.
Direct Action Response Team Officers (DART) make an arrest on E. Colfax Avenue. A Motor Enforcement Team (M.E.T.) Officer is pictured above watching for drivers who are speeding or driving in a manner that compromises the safety of other motorists.
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3.3.1 | Violent Crime Rate
2009 Violent Crime Rates per 1,000 Residents 25 (Aurora 4.70 / Average 8.05) 20 15 10 5
0
…
… …
… … … …
…
… … … … … …
Fort
New
Long Long
Tulsa Mesa
Plano
Santa
Miami
Aurora
Buffalo Fresno
Tampa
Anchor
Lincoln
Corpus
Wichita
Minnea Greens Hender
Omaha
Kansas Virginia
Newark Raleigh
Sacram
St. Paul St.
Colorad
Bakersfi
Oakland Average
St. Louis St. Stockton
Arlington
Anaheim
Glendale
Chandler
Riverside
Lexington
Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh 3.3.2 | Property Crime Rate
2009 Property Crime Rates per 1,000 Residents 90 (Aurora 30.98 / Average 43.13)
60
30
0
Tulsa Mesa
Plano
Miami
Aurora
Buffalo Fresno
Tampa
Lincoln
Wichita
Omaha
Newark
Raleigh
St. Paul St.
Average Oakland
Stockton St. Louis St.
Arlington
Anaheim
Glendale
Chandler
Riverside
Lexington
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Santa Ana Santa
Anchorage
Henderson
Bakersfield
Fort Wayne Fort
Greensboro
Minneapolis Beach Long
Sacramento
New OrleansNew
Corpus Christi Corpus
Virginia Beach Virginia Kansas City, MO City, Kansas Colorado Springs Colorado 3.3.3 | Total Major (Index) Crime Rate
2009 Index Crime Rates per 1,000 Residents (Aurora 35.68 / Average 50.18) 120 90 60 30
0
Tulsa Mesa
Plano
Miami
Aurora
Buffalo Fresno
Tampa
Lincoln
Wichita
Omaha
Newark Raleigh
St. Paul St.
Oakland Average
St. LouisSt. Stockton
Arlington
Anaheim
Glendale
Chandler
Riverside
Lexington
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Santa Ana Santa
Anchorage
Henderson
Bakersfield
Fort Wayne Fort
Greensboro
Minneapolis Beach Long
Sacramento
New Orleans New
Corpus Christi Corpus
Virginia Beach Virginia Kansas City, MO City, Kansas Colorado Springs Colorado
Page | 12 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
3.4 | MAJOR INDEX CRIME PER CAPITA COMPARISON
Aurora is a large city that has all of the great opportunities and some of the challenges of all urban areas. The table provided below illustrates how Aurora compares to many other Front Range communities by using an important measure known as crime per capita. Crime per capita is a statistic arrived at by dividing the number of reported crimes in an area by 1,000 residents (per capita). Our data show that on a per capita basis, Aurora is safer than many other Front Range communities.
Population, Violent Crime Rates Property Crime Rates Total Index Crime Rates
2010 Census per 1,000 residents per 1,000 residents per 1,000 Residents
Englewood 30,255 6.94 62.17 69.11
Lakewood 142,980 4.82 44.16 48.98
Wheat Ridge 30,166 5.04 40.51 45.55
Denver 600,158 5.82 34.79 40.61
Pueblo 106,595 8.42 31.82 40.24
Colorado Springs 416,427 4.73 35.36 40.08
Greeley 92,889 4.75 33.70 38.44
Fort Collins 143,986 3.72 31.85 35.57
Aurora 325,078 4.69 30.88 35.56
Thornton 118,772 2.49 32.26 34.76
Westminster 106,114 2.26 32.47 34.74
Littleton 40,340 1.56 30.96 32.52
Boulder 97,385 2.52 28.51 31.02
Commerce City 45,913 2.74 27.07 29.82
Arvada 106,433 1.79 25.33 27.12
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Officer Alfredo “Spike” Gallegos has been keeping Aurora safe since he joined the Police Department in May 1978. Officer Gallegos is the most senior member of the Department to hold the rank of Officer. He has seen Aurora change dramatically over the years. When he joined in 1978, the city population was approximately 158,000 and the Police Department had 198 Officers. The 2010 census puts Aurora‟s population at 325,078, and today Aurora has 638 officers. When asked to reflect back on his more than 30 years of distinguished service, he said, “Aurora has been a great department to work for, and without question, this job has made for an exciting career.”
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SECTION FOUR: CITY OF AURORA SUMMARY 2009 - 2010
This section of the report compares the compiled crime data reported to the FBI for 2010 to the finalized data for 2009 submitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The intent is to provide an overview of the crime-reduction efforts of the Police Department during the last calendar year. In addition to the seven major crimes, statistical reporting of traffic enforcement is included.
4.1 | REPORTING METHODOLOGY
This section of the report focuses on the actual volume of UCR crime incidents that occurred in Aurora during 2010 as compared to 2009, rather than rates per population. Additionally, this section of the report reviews the Police Department‟s traffic enforcement efforts.
4.2 | CALLS FOR SERVICE
In 2010, the Public Safety Communications Department (PSCD) received 409,955 telephone calls from citizens requesting police assistance. From those calls, the PSCD dispatched calls for service to police officers 237,901 times, which is an increase of 2 percent from 2009. In addition, officers initiated action on 172,048 occasions, which was an increase of 2 percent over the prior year. In total, the Department handled 409,955 service calls in 2010, an increase of 2 percent in the number of calls for service over calls for service in 2009. The remaining calls were determined to be non-police related.
4.3 | ARRESTS AND SUMMONSES
In 2010, Aurora Police Officers Criminal Arrests 2009 2010 % made a total of 20,791 criminal ▲ or (▼) arrests, which was a decrease of Physical Arrests 13,165 12,161 (7.6%) 6 percent as compared to the Summonses 8,981 8,630 (3.9%) prior year. Total Arrests 22,146 20,791 (6.1%)
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4.4 | ASSESSMENT OF CRIME IN AURORA
4.4.1 | Violent Crime
In 2010, the City of Aurora made progress in reducing crime in three of the four Violent Crime categories. The number of murders did not change from the prior year. Overall Violent Crime fell by 6 percent.
During 2010, the incidents of aggravated assault attributed to non-fatal shootings increased by 50 percent. The total number of shooting victims rose from 34 to 52, which is an increase of 52.9 percent. Non-fatal shootings are not reported as an independent category under the UCR, but are included in the aggravated assault category. Non-fatal shootings are an indicator of crime and a high priority focus for the Department.
VIOLENT % 2009 2010 CRIME ▲ or (▼) 1% 13% Murder Murder 23 23 0.0%
Sex Assault Sex Assault (Rape) 218 185 (15.1%) (Rape) 51% Robbery Robbery Incidents 551 504 (8.5%) Incidents 35% Aggravated Aggravated Assault 747 735 (1.6%) Violent Crime Assault Violent Crime 1,539 1,447 (6.0%) Totals
% NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS 2009 2010 ▲ or (▼) Shooting Incidents 28 42 50.0%
Shooting Victims 34 52 52.9%
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4.4.2 | Property Crime
In 2010, the City of Aurora saw a 0.9 percent increase in total property crime. Motor vehicle theft dropped by more than 23 percent. The categories of burglary and larceny (theft) saw increases of 11.3 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively.
PROPERTY 2009 2010 % CRIME ▲ or (▼) Burglary Burglary 2,073 2,307 11.3% 9% 22% Incidents Incidents Larceny Incidents 6,945 7,090 2.1% Larceny Incidents MVT Incidents 1,202 916 (23.8%) 69% MVT Incidents Property 10,220 10,313 0.9% Property Crime Crime Totals
4.4.3 | Total Major Crime
The total major index crimes (combined violent crimes and property crimes) for the City of Aurora, which indicates the direction overall crime is moving, did not change from 2009 to 2010. Overall, the total number of major index crimes in 2009 was 11,759 and in 2010 that number was 11,760, which resulted in a 0.0% change.
% Total Major Crime 2009 2010 ▲ or (▼)
Major Index Crimes 11,759 11,760 0.0%
Page | 17 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
Officer Matt Neely is assigned to the Traffic Section – Motorcycle Enforcement Team. He is one of several Officers assigned to M.E.T., which focuses on drivers who put other motorists and pedestrians at risk by speeding or driving in an aggressive or dangerous manner. Strategic efforts at traffic enforcement in 2010 resulted in a 42 percent decrease in fatal accidents in Aurora.
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4.5 | ASSESSMENT OF TRAFFIC ENFOREMENT EFFORTS
In 2010, the Police Department continued to aggressively focus traffic enforcement efforts towards speeding and aggressive driving with the ultimate goal of decreasing injuries and deaths attributable to dangerous driving. In 2010, the Motorcycle Enforcement Team (M.E.T.) obtained a federal grant designed to impact the issues caused by speeding on interstate highways within the jurisdictional boundaries of Aurora. Additionally, federal funds were utilized to conduct five DUI checkpoints and twelve High Visibility and NHTSA Enforcement Periods with the ultimate goal of reducing drugged and drunk driving. These grant-funded efforts, in conjunction with the daily operations of the Traffic Section, served the citizens of Aurora well as evidenced by the reduction of property damage and injury accidents addressed in this report. The highlight of the year in the Traffic Section was the celebration of a 42 percent reduction in fatal accidents, a quantifiable number of lives saved through the efforts of the thirty-eight men and women working in the Traffic Section.
4.5.1 | Top Five Traffic Accident Locations The Police Department is dedicated to increasing traffic safety throughout the City of Aurora. The Department is focused on reducing fatal and injury accidents. In 2010, there were no fatal accidents at the top 5 accident locations.
Rank Top 5 Accident 2009 2010 % 2009 2010 % Locations Total Total Chg Injury Injury Chg Accidents Accidents Accidents Accidents S. Parker Rd @ 1 71 113 59% 2 4 100% E. Arapahoe Rd S. Peoria St @ 2 70 79 13% 5 7 40% S. Parker Rd E. Mississippi Ave @ 3 65 75 15% 4 7 75% S. Chambers Rd I225 NB Hwy @ 4 58 74 28% 4 1 (75%) E. Mississippi Ave S. Havana St @ 5 56 70 25% 1 5 400% E. Iliff Ave
4.5.2 | Total Traffic Accidents
The Department is focused on reducing fatal and injury accidents throughout Aurora. In 2010, Aurora saw a significant decrease in all three traffic accident categories. Throughout the city, there were 42.1 percent fewer fatal traffic accidents than in the prior year. Fatal traffic accidents dropped from 19 in 2009 to 11 in 2010. Injury accidents fell 2.9 percent, from 656 in 2009 to 637 in 2010. In the final category, non-injury accidents fell 1.3 percent from 8,778 in 200 to 8,665 in 2010.
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4.5.3 | On-line Non-Injury Accident Reports
In 2010, the total number of non-injury accidents reported online to the Police Department was 1,877. This figure is down 20.4 percent from the prior year, in which the total number was 2,358.
4.5.4 | Traffic Summons Productivity and DUI Arrests
In 2010, Officers issued fewer traffic summonses as compared to the prior year. Officers issued a total of 55,282 traffic summonses, which was a decrease of 0.4 percent as compared to 2009. Parking summonses accounted for 7,429 of the total traffic summonses issued. DUI arrests increased from 1,547 in 2009 to 1,641 in 2010, which was an increase of 6.1 percent. TRAFFIC % 2009 2010 SUMMONSES ▲ or (▼) Parking Ticket 8,665 7,429 (14.3%)
Traffic Tickets 46,818 47,853 2.2%
Total Tickets 55,483 55,282 (0.4%)
Parking Tickets and Traffic 1700 Summonses DUI Arrests 1600 60000 50000 40000 1500 2008 30000 2008 20000 1400 2009 10000 2009 0 2010 2010 1300 Parking Traffic Total 2008 2009 2010 Tickets Tickets Traffic
Tickets
Page | 20 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
SECTION FIVE: CRIME TREND SUMMARY
5.1 | SIX-YEAR CRIME SUMMARY
Despite an increase in population, overall Major Index Crime remained the same in 2010 as compared to the prior year. This follows eight successive years of dramatic crime reduction. In the last five years, crime is down nearly 30 percent. When compared to 39 cities with populations between 250,000 – 499,000 Aurora‟s crime statistics continue to remain well below average.
APD 6 Year Major Crime Statistics
2005 - 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 - 2008 2008 - 2009 2009 - 2010 6 Year Summary
7 MAJOR CRIMES 2005 2006 % Chg 2006 2007 % Chg 2007 2008 % Chg 2008 2009 % Chg 2009 2010 % Chg 2005 2010 % Chg MURDER 28 17 (39.3%) 17 14 (17.6%) 14 18 28.6% 18 23 27.8% 23 23 0.0% 28 23 (17.9%)
FORCIBLE RAPE 226 218 (3.5%) 218 193 (11.5%) 193 193 0.0% 193 218 13.0% 218 185 (15.1%) 226 185 (18.1%)
ROBBERY 647 605 (6.5%) 605 585 (3.3%) 585 554 (5.3%) 554 551 (0.5%) 551 504 (8.5%) 647 504 (22.1%)
AGG ASLTS 950 1,022 7.6% 1,022 909 (11.1%) 909 860 (5.4%) 860 747 (13.1%) 747 735 (1.6%) 950 735 (22.6%)
VIOLENT CRIMES 1,851 1,862 0.6% 1,862 1,701 (8.6%) 1,701 1,625 (4.5%) 1,625 1,539 (5.3%) 1,539 1,447 (6.0%) 1,851 1,447 (21.8%)
BURGLARY 2,495 2,492 (0.1%) 2,492 2,362 (5.2%) 2,362 2,220 (6.0%) 2,220 2,073 (6.6%) 2,073 2,307 11.3% 2,495 2,307 (7.5%)
LARCENY 9,655 8,448 (12.5%) 8,448 7,890 (6.6%) 7,890 7,201 (8.7%) 7,201 6,945 (3.6%) 6,945 7,090 2.1% 9,655 7,090 (26.6%) major index MVT 2,775 2,070 (25.4%) 2,070 1,729 (16.5%) 1,729 1,328 (23.2%) 1,328 1,202 (9.5%) 1,202 916 (23.8%) 2,775 916 (67.0%) crimes for the PROPERTY CRIMES 14,925 13,010 (12.8%) 13,010 11,981 (7.9%) 11,981 10,749 (10.3%) 10,749 10,220 (4.9%) 10,220 10,313 0.9% 14,925 10,313 (30.9%) past 5 years MAJOR INDEX CRIMES 16,776 14,872 (11.3%) 14,872 13,682 (8.0%) 13,682 12,374 (9.6%) 12,374 11,759 (5.0%) 11,759 11,760 0.0% 16,776 11,760 (29.9%) are down in NON FATAL 2005 - 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 - 2008 2008 - 2009 2009 - 2010 6 Year Summary SHOOTINGS Aurora 2005 2006 % Chg 2006 2007 % Chg 2007 2008 % Chg 2008 2009 % Chg 2009 2010 % Chg 2005 2010 % Chg Shooting Incidents 47 33 (29.8%) 33 37 12.1% 37 40 8.1% 40 28 (30.0%) 28 42 50.0% 47 42 (10.6%) by 29.9% Shooting Victims 53 36 (32.1%) 36 44 22.2% 44 49 11.4% 49 34 (30.6%) 34 52 52.9% 53 52 (1.9%)
Page | 21 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
SECTION SIX: SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
6.1 | TACTICAL MEDIC PROGRAM
The new program, a joint initiative of the police and fire departments, is intended to speed response of needed emergency medical services during SWAT operations. Six Tactical Emergency Medical Service (TEMS) paramedics (4 firefighters and 2 police officers) have been embedded within the SWAT unit. Before this program was initiated, emergency medical personnel had to wait a safe distance from the Officer Faith Goodrich is seen here talking about the scene of a SWAT operation until the situation was TEMS program with members of the media. declared under control for them to enter, treat and
transport the victim. With this new program, TEMS medics can now administer urgent life-saving aide to an injured citizen or police officer even in an ongoing, high-threat environment. An additional benefit of this program has been improved communication between the police and fire departments and a better understanding of how each department operates.
6.2 | POLICE DEPARTMENT JOINS METRO DENVER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, CRIME STOPPERS FOR LAUNCH OF “TEXT-A-TIP”
On April 7, 2010, Metro Denver Crime Stoppers, in partnership with a number of local law enforcement agencies and the Superintendants from Cherry Creek and Aurora Public Schools, held a joint press conference to launch a crime-fighting tool new to the metro Denver area. This new public safety tool is an anonymous text messaging system known as “Text-a-tip,” which provides anyone who has a mobile phone with a simple way to send an anonymous tip to law enforcement. Individuals with information can text their tip to 274637 (CRIMES), then add the title DMCS followed by the tip itself. The goal of this new crime- fighting tool is to create safer schools and safer communities and to encourage youth to use a modern tool they are comfortable with – texting – to rapidly report crime.
Metro Denver Crime Stoppers President Mike Mills is pictured here talking with members of the media during a press conference to announce the “Text-a-tip” program. Mr. Mills was joined by Chiefs and Sheriffs from around the Denver metro area and the Superintendants from two school districts. Page | 22
2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
6.3 | TWO NEW K-9 TEAMS JOIN THE DEPARTMENT
In 2010, and in the early part of 2011, the Police Department added two new K-9 teams. Officer Aaron Woodbury (right) was selected to be a K-9 handler before joining the team in January 2010, and was assigned a German Shepherd named “Jordan.” “Jordan” received his name in honor of an Aurora resident, Marion Jordan, who is a long time supporter of the Aurora Police K-9 Unit. “Jordan” is trained in suspect detection/apprehension and to detect illegal narcotics such as cocaine, ecstasy, and heroin. K-9 Officer Aaron Woodbury and his K-9 partner “Jordan” visit with community members at the 2010 Neighborhood Watch Picnic.
Officer Michelle Hanley (left) was selected to be a K-9 handler before joining the team in January 2011. Officer Hanley‟s partner is a Belgian Malinois named “Max.” The duo is currently in training and expected to hit the street in 2011. The training teams go through to be certified is rigorous. K-9 teams train for approximately 8 weeks in narcotics detection and 20 weeks in suspect detection/apprehension and continue with training once a week to K-9 Officer Michelle Hanley is pictured here with her K-9 partner “Max.” maintain their skills.
6.4 | DEVELOPMENT OF THE QUARTERMASTER PROGRAM
A quartermaster program was initiated to formally control and account for department-owned equipment and to streamline uniform purchases and storage and eliminate waste. A sophisticated computerized inventory management system, along with a heavy- duty automated storage system, was purchased with federal grant funding. The system is scheduled to be fully operational by mid-2011.
Officer Carrigan Bennett is pictured above taking an inventory of police equipment.
Page | 23 2010 Aurora Police Department Annual Public Safety Report
6.5 | PHOTO RED LIGHT ENFORCEMENT EXPANSION
The goal of the photo red light enforcement program is to enhance voluntary compliance with traffic law through the use of photo enforcement technology. At City Council‟s direction, a committee was formed to expand the program from its original 4 targeted intersections to 14 intersections. The police department spearheaded the process of expanding the program. Approximately half of the new camera systems were installed by the end of 2010. The remaining cameras are to be installed by early 2011. Pictured above is the intersection of Alameda The old system was capable of capturing only one Avenue and S. Abilene Street, one of 14 violation per signal light cycle. The new system will intersections where the photo red light enforcement system is being used to deter capture multiple violations in multiple traffic lanes per motorists from running a red light. light cycle, greatly increasing the system‟s utility.
6.6 | AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS
The police department initiated a pilot project to place an automated external defibrillator, or AED, in each patrol supervisor vehicle, as well as one AED in each police building. An AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient. The AED is then able to treat a patient in cardiac arrest through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. The intent is to improve life-saving capabilities within police daily operations. The availability and deployment of AEDs in district stations and on patrol is essential to fulfilling the Department‟s mission in responding to these medical emergencies. Survival is directly linked to the time interval between the SCA (sudden cardiac arrest) and the first AED shock delivered to the victim. Statistics validate that when a shock is delivered within one minute, survival rates can increase seventeen fold from 5 percent (by relying on EMS only to respond) to levels as high as 86 percent in some cases. This project was coordinated with the Aurora Fire Department to ensure that training and AEDs conform to best standards and practices. This project is grant funded.
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6.7 | NEW ONLINE SERVICES OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY
On November 17, 2010, the Police Department in partnership with CrimeReports.com, made available to members of the community an interactive online crime mapping tool. For the first time, the public had free access to crime data and information about registered sex offenders. This new tool provides individuals who want to know about crimes reported to the Police Department with an easy way to obtain this information. For example, a resident in the Hoffman Heights neighborhood can, with the click of a mouse, obtain an interactive map that reflects those crimes impacting her neighborhood and then use that information to reduce opportunities for crime to occur. Additionally, the Police Department expanded on-line crime reporting so that individuals can now report certain types of traffic accidents and purchase accident reports.
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SECTION SEVEN: COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
7.1 | OFFICER RUNS TO RAISE MONEY FOR DIABETES
In October 2010, Aurora Police Officer and ultra marathoner Jerry Armstrong set out on a mission to raise money and awareness for diabetes by running a 500-mile stretch of California coastline between San Francisco and San Diego. The start location for this ultra marathon was Golden Gate Bridge. His goal was to run until he had reached the Coronado Bridge. All the funds donated went to the Iron Andy
Foundation, a non-profit organization Officer Jerry Armstrong stops just long enough to take which provides support and services to a picture of himself to document his adventure during his run along the California coast. individuals whose lives are impacted by diabetes. Jerry told the Aurora Sentinel, “This isn‟t about breaking records or anything. This is about doing what I love to do for a cause that is important for me, which is diabetes.” Although Jerry was unable to fully complete the entire run, he successfully ran and walked for 10 days and in that time covered 281 miles and raised approximately $6,000 for diabetes.
7.2 | Aurora Participates in First National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
On Saturday, September 25, 2010, the Police Department opened its doors to Aurora residents who were interested in disposing of their unwanted medications. Citizens who had over-the- counter or prescription medications, which were no longer wanted or needed, were invited to drop them off at one of three district police stations located throughout the community. At each of the district stations, officers were on hand to assist citizens. Additionally, volunteer pharmacological students from the University of Colorado were at each drop-off site to answer questions from citizens about medications. This event was held in conjunction with the Colorado Attorney‟s General Office, the U. S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and Waste Management. Citizens who were hoping to take advantage of this service, but for some reason were unable to, can expect this service to offered again in 2011 and regularly into the future.
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7.3 | POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS AND MAY FARMS CREATE “THE GREAT PUMPKIN PATCH” FOR KIDS AT THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
October 7th, 2010, May Farms donated over 200 pumpkins to the Children‟s Hospital, allowing patients who were unable to leave the confines of the hospital a chance to select their own pumpkin. On hand to help were the Aurora Fire Department, Aurora Police Department, Aurora Chamber of Commerce, and Mimi‟s Café of Aurora. This year was the 5th time that this event was held. Donations were raised to benefit the Cardiac Kids Unit.
7.4 | POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CRIME STOPPERS HOLD SHRED-A-THON FOR COMMUNITY
In 2010, the Police Department teamed up with Metro Denver Crime Stoppers, Shred-It, and 9news to hold a community shred-a-thon. This very popular event provided residents with an opportunity to shred up to 3 boxes of financial documents and other sensitive papers for free. By taking advantage of this free service, citizens reduced their chances of becoming a victim of identity theft. Donations were accepted and went to support monetary rewards offered by Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.
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7.5 | AURORA POLICE OFFICERS JOIN COPS FIGHTING CANCER FOR CHRISTMAS TIME VISIT TO THE CHILDREN’S HOPSITAL
On December 15, 2010, dozens of law enforcement officers from a number of local, state and federal agencies joined Cops Fighting Cancer to spend the morning visiting kids being treated at Children‟s Hospital. Dozens of kids were visited by “Rudolf” and presented with toys.
7.6 | POLICE DEPARMENT AND THE “LEADERS ARE READERS” PROGRAM
Three times a year, Aurora Public Schools (APS) invites leaders from around the community to join them for “Leaders Are Readers” Day. Aurora Police Chief Daniel J. Oates is a supporter of this special program. For Chief Oates, his book of choice when reading to elementary students is Officer Buckle and Gloria – a story about a Police Officer and his four-legged sidekick named Gloria. In addition to Chief Oates, APS matches selected members of the Police Department with classrooms throughout the school district. The goal of the program is to increase student An Aurora Officer is pictured here reading to a class achievement throughout the school district by of students during “Leaders Are Reader’s Day” as encouraging a love of reading. part of an Aurora Public Schools initiative.
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SECTION EIGHT: UNITS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
8.1 | A NEW TASK FORCE TO TARGET AUTO THEFT
Facilitated by a $1 million grant from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, five law enforcement agencies, led by the Aurora Police Department, formed the East Metro Auto Theft Team (EMATT) to drive down auto theft in the east metro area. EMATT works with other similar task forces throughout the metro Denver area. EMATT‟s goals are to reduce auto thefts, increase stolen vehicles recovered, and increase arrests and prosecution of offenders. As of July 2010 when the task force took shape and through Pictured above are the members of the auto theft task force known as EMATT. These task force officers work in an the end of 2010, the task force had recovered undercover capacity. over 40 stolen vehicles, with an estimated combined value of $500,000 and made 30
arrests. The creation of EMATT is expected to trigger $360,000 in relief to Aurora‟s general fund in 2011 through grant funding.
8.2 | METRO GANG TASK FORCE INVESTIGATION LEADS TO 35 INDICTMENTS In 2007, the Metro Gang Task Force (MGTF) began an investigation into a criminal street gang that was trafficking in illegal narcotics. Over time, the MGTF investigation revealed that the gang was tied to a drug cartel in Mexico and involved in illegal activities in Colorado, Illinois, Texas, and Alabama. In 2010, a Colorado federal grand jury indicted 35 subjects, 27 of which were in the metro Denver area and 8 were in other states. During the course of the 3-year investigation, MGTF investigators seized approximately 53 kilos of cocaine, close to $700,000 in cash, as well as a number of vehicles and firearms.
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8.3 | VICTIM SERVICES UNIT The Victim Services Unit (VSU) of the Police Department in 2010 expanded its cadre of highly trained citizen volunteers to 49, the largest contingent of volunteers ever to support this vital program. Volunteer victim advocates typically sign on for two 12-hour shifts a month and support the APD‟s six full- time professionals in responding 24 hours a day to support, counsel and provide critical services to victims of crimes covered by the Victim Rights Act. In addition, VSU also provides assistance to members of the community impacted by traumatic deaths such Members of the Victim Services Unit (l. to r.): Anne Doerr, Carole O’Shea, Connie Stauffer, Adela Garcia, and Rusty as a suicide and by non-criminal traumatic Cain. (2010) events. Because of the reputation and professionalism of the APD Victim Services Unit, it is regarded among its peers as one of the best such programs in the state, with other law enforcement agencies now routinely sending its new advocates to our training programs. Also in 2010, the Victim Services Unit applied for and was awarded on one new part-time contract position to serve clients in the 18th Judicial District via the Victim Assistance Law Enforcement board. Beginning in 2011, the Victim Services Unit will add another full-time position, bringing the unit up to six full-time advocates, the first permanent expansion of the unit since 1996 and a reflection of the extraordinary increase in demand for services in recent years.
8.4 | VOLUNTEERS IN POLICING
The Police Department relies on the support of its volunteers who perform valuable work throughout the organization to include the Records Section, Property Unit, Training Academy, Fraud Unit and Pawn Detail, Cold Case Unit, Law Enforcement Explorer Scouts and Chaplain Unit. For 2010, the Department calculated that 321 volunteers contributed 25,830.25 service hours, which was estimated to be worth more than $536,338.
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8.5 | MOTOR OFFICERS TAKE TOP FOUR SPOTS IN COMPETITION
In June, 2010, members of the Police Department‟s Motorcycle Enforcement Team, or M.E.T., competed in the 21st annual Blue Knights motor-officer competition. This event challenged the motor officers‟ skills on a timed road course. Officers incurred penalties for striking cones or by touching the ground with a foot in order to maintain balance. This event draws motor officers from outside Colorado, which makes this a highly competitive event. Four of Aurora‟s motor Officers took the top four spots in the competition. Pictured (l. to r.) are Officers Travis Moody, Ed Nolte, The order of finish starting with 1st Joe Bumberger, and Matt Neely. Place was Officer Joe Bumberger followed by Officer Ed Nolte, Officer Matt Neely, and Officer Travis Moody.
Aurora officers take the top four spots in the 2010 Blue Knights motor-officer competition (June 2010).
8.6 | PATROL OFFICERS RESCUE A GUNSHOT VICTIM On September 11, 2010, shortly before 2 a.m., Police Officers were dispatched to a home in the 1600 block of South Tucson Street on a report of an armed man. Responding officers arrived to find a man at the front of the residence holding a handgun. For more than an hour, Officers were engaged in tense negotiations with the man with the hope that he would surrender peacefully. During the course of these negotiations, a 911 This residence, located directly across the street from call was placed by a young man inside the house where this picture was taken, was the scene of a dramatic who reported that he was suffering from a rescue by a team of Officers. The Officers were subsequently honored for their courage and heroism. gunshot wound. Officers developed a rescue plan and sent in a team from the rear of the home
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while officers at the front worked to distract the gunman. Upon entering the house, the rescue team found the young man who had been shot and an adult male who was deceased. Officers successfully rescued the critically injured victim, who was subsequently transported to the hospital. Major Crime/Homicide Unit detectives would later confirm that Mohamed Abushahma, 50, died when he was shot in his home. At approximately 3:30 a.m. the shooter surrendered to Officers and was taken in to custody. Michael Wade Jackson, 57, was held without bond for investigation of first degree murder.
“When asked what I do at work, I oftentimes will tell people, „I do drugs‟ – that is to say I test items to see if they contain illegal substances. You would be amazed at what I see. The more we get off the street, the safer the community will be.”
Mary Jo McCawley | Chemist Aurora Police Crime Lab
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SECTION NINE: MAJOR CASE RESOLUTIONS
9.1 | TRAFFIC SECTION INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN 60-YEAR SENTENCE
In September of 2008, a triple-fatal traffic accident occurred in Aurora that took the lives of two women and a young boy named Marten Kudlis. Martin and his mother were inside an ice cream shop on S. Havana St. when debris from the crash came smashing through the windows of the store, killing Martin and injuring a young girl. This case quickly captured the attention of the community and the news media. The driver, Francis Hernandez, was found to be an undocumented immigrant who had been previously arrested more than a dozen times by local law enforcement for various traffic violations. An extensive investigation was conducted by the Police Department‟s Traffic Section, which was followed by a highly publicized trial. In April of 2010, Hernandez was found guilty on 19 counts and sentenced to 60 years in prison.
9.2 | MAJOR CRIME/HOMICIDE UNIT SOLVES LINDSAY PHAM HOMICIDE
On March 3, 2010, during the course of a robbery, a female apartment manager named Lindsay Pham was brutally murdered. An extensive investigation assisted by DNA forensic evidence developed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation lead to the identification of the suspect and his accomplice. The accomplice is currently in custody facing murder and robbery charges. The main suspect fled to Mexico. However, efforts are underway to locate and extradite him back to Colorado to face first degree murder charges.
9.3 | COLD CASE UNIT FILES ITS FIRST DNA – BASED HOMICIDE CASE
On March 29, 2010, the Police Department Cold Case Unit filed its first DNA – based cold homicide case. Diane Juanita Caldwell was found deceased in a field near South Buckley Road and East Ohio Avenue on November 23, 1998. Investigators were able to recover what they believed to be the suspect‟s DNA. That DNA sample was entered into the Colorado DNA Index System (CODIS). In 2003, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation re-examined the DNA evidence submitted in this case. A
match was found in CODIS, which created an investigative lead. However, an investigation into this new information did not result in an arrest. In July of 2008, a new Cold Case Unit was established. Major Crime/Homicide Unit Detective Steve Conner was
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assigned this case. His pursuit of Caldwell‟s killer over the next 21 months led to new evidence. That evidence was presented to the Arapahoe County District Attorney‟s Office, which led to an arrest warrant being issued for 39-year-old Kevin Lewayne McKinney for first degree murder.
9.4 | CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN UNIT ARRESTS ONLINE PREDATOR
On June 11, 2010, Aurora Police Officers and detectives arrested Scott Frederick Neville, 22, of Littleton, in connection with three felonious offenses that involved crimes against children. The undercover investigation that resulted in Mr. Neville‟s arrest began in May 2010. A Crimes Against Children (CAC) detective posing as an underage female online began receiving sexually explicit communications and images from Mr. Neville. Mr. Neville then made arrangements to meet the “young girl” at a local fast food restaurant for purposes of sexual contact. After he arrived at the fast food restaurant, Mr. Neville was approached by officers and detectives and taken into custody without incident. Mr. Neville was arrested for investigation of internet luring of a child, attempted sexual assault of a child, and internet sexual exploitation of a child and held for $50,000 bond. Sergeant Joe Young, who supervises the CAC Unit, said, “Although the suspect in this case was arrested before he could do any harm to a child, parents and caretakers should be aware that there remain others who are seeking to connect online with children for illicit purposes. Know what the risks are when your kids go online and what you can do to better protect them from predators by visiting the website for the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com.”
9.5 | DNA LINKS 1984 MURDERS IN LAKEWOOD AND AURORA After 26 years, Aurora and Lakewood homicide investigators received a break on two 1984 homicide investigations. In January of 1984, Lakewood resident Patricia Louise Smith was murdered in her apartment. Six days later three members of the Bennett family were found murdered in their Aurora residence. Their three-year-old daughter sustained severe injuries during the attack, but managed to survive. Over 26 years later, and with the assistance of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, a positive CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) DNA match was discovered, linking the still unknown suspect to both homicide scenes. Several years prior to this latest development, Aurora Police Detectives obtained an arrest warrant as a result of their investigation based upon the DNA of the unidentified suspect. However, the arrest warrant has no name attached to it. It is believed to be the first arrest warrant issued in Colorado based upon DNA only. On September 9, 2010, a press conference was held at the Lakewood Police Department to announce this important development in the case. Detectives from both agencies continue to express optimism that a suspect will be identified and brought to justice.
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9.6 | ECONOMIC CRIMES UNIT SOLVES HIGH-PROFILE CASE
In late 2010, Aurora Public Schools (APS) reported to the Police Department that two suspects had posed as parents to gain access inside several schools wherein they stole purses and wallets from unattended classrooms. The suspects used the stolen credit cards and checks to purchase gift cards and merchandise, which resulted in an estimated aggregate loss of $3,000. These cases caught the eye of local news media. Based on the modus operandi of these crimes, the lead ECU detective began looking at Jarvis Nelson, 26, who was sentenced by a court for similar activity in 2006. District 2 Police Area Representatives (PAR) arrested Jarvis Nelson (pictured left) on January 19, 2011 on an outstanding warrant. Detectives recovered clothing and purses taken during in the thefts from her room. During Nelson‟s interview she implicated Alicia Collins-Avellani (pictured right) as a co-conspirator. Arrest warrants are pending for both Nelson and Collins-Avellani for crimes involving burglary, ID theft, forgery and theft.
9.7 | VICE AND NARCOTICS SECTION ARRESTS DOCTOR FOR MARIJUANA DISTRIBUTION
On July 8, 2010, Investigators with the Narcotics Section arrested a doctor in connection with a five-month investigation by undercover officers. Aurora Narcotics Investigators became aware of Dr. Aquino- Villaman when they began encountering a disproportionate number of “patients” in possession of recommendations by the doctor claiming they had a need for medical marijuana. Two undercover officers arranged office visits with the doctor, who gave each of them a recommendation for marijuana without physically examining the officers and without any evidence that the officers were ill. The doctor signed a Medical Marijuana Physician‟s Certification that stated that each “patient” had complained of severe pain and was therefore eligible under Colorado law to legally obtain medical marijuana. The doctor spent just minutes with the officers and charged them a fee of $125 for the consultation and the medical marijuana recommendation. Dr. Aquino-Villaman, 69, was charged with attempting to influence a public servant and conspiracy to distribute marijuana. “This is an unfortunate case of a doctor deliberately using the facade of medical marijuana to help distribute large amounts of marijuana illegally,” said Police Chief Daniel J. Oates. The Aurora Police Department worked closely with the Arapahoe County District Attorney‟s office on this case. Dr. Aquino-Villaman is currently free on bond.
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9.8 | MAJOR CRIME/HOMICIDE UNIT SOLVES 2002 MURDER CASE
On May 6, 2002, Patrol Officers were dispatched to an unknown problem in an alley in the 1600 block between N. Boston Street and N. Beeler Street. When Officers arrived, they found a deceased man. An autopsy revealed that the victim, who was identified as 28-year-old Willie Robinson, had been repeatedly stabbed. The Adams County Coroner‟s Office ruled the death as a homicide. Major Crimes/Homicide (MCU) Detectives led the investigation into this case. Despite their efforts, detectives were not able to determine who killed Mr. Robinson. Although the case grew cold, detectives continued to hold out hope of a break in the case. That break came in late 2009, when new information was developed. On June 8, 2010, MCU Detectives arrested Dean Evan Scott, 28, who was serving time on unrelated criminal charges. Mr. Scott was subsequently charged with murder in the first degree.
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SECTION TEN: EMPLOYEE AWARDS
Among its many fine qualities, the Aurora Police Department is a home to many heroes. In 2010, the Department recognized the following individuals for their heroic acts and distinguished commitments to the city and its citizens.
10.1 | MEDAL OF HONOR
Commander Steve Marshall (Ret.) Sergeant James Beuthel (pictured)
10.2 | DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
Officer Joseph Duran Officer Frank Fania (pictured) Officer Patrick McGinty Officer Luke Mossburgh Officer David Pearson
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10.3 | PURPLE HEART
Officer Faith Goodrich (pictured)
10.4 | LIFE SAVING AWARD
Sergeant Timothy Holt* (pictured) Sergeant Christopher Poppe (pictured) Sergeant Gary Reno Officer David Johnson Officer Peter Ponich
10.5 | MERITORIOUS SERVICE RIBBON *In 2010, Sgt. Holt was awarded two life saving awards. Sergeant Stephen Redfearn (pictured) Agent David Dyroff (pictured) Agent Doug Knox Agent Alan Shank Officer Aaron Bunch Officer Chad Burger
Officer Jason Chilson Officer Joseph Duran (pictured) Officer Aleksandr Graham Officer Patrick McGinty Officer Michael Minisini
Officer Luke Mossburgh (pictured) Officer Marc Paolino Officer Brian Schnicke (pictured) Officer Daniel Wittenborn (pictured) Officer Arturo Zepeda
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10.6 | CHIEF’S COMMENDATION
Sergeant Michael Gaskill
Sergeant Chris Poppe
Agent Kenneth Brecko (pictured)
Agent Barry Cape
Agent Larry Martinez
Officer David Gallegos
Officer Tim King (pictured)
U.S. Marshal Gerard McCann
10.7 | CHIEF’S UNIT CITATION
Gang Intervention Unit (pictured)
Major Crime/Homicide Unit
Explorer Post Advisors
Records Unit/Technical Services Bureau
10.8 | 2010 DARE OFFICER OF THE YEAR
Officer Robert Petree (pictured)
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10.9 | 2010 FIRST RESPONDER’S LUNCHEON HONOREES (pictured l. to r.)
Officer Luke Mossburgh
Officer Joseph Duran
Officer Patrick McGinty
Detective John Nagengast
Detective Warren Miller
Sergeant Christopher Poppe
Chief Daniel J. Oates
Lieutenant Paul O’Keefe*
*Lt. Paul O’Keefe is pictured here accepting an award on behalf of Officer David Gallegos (December 2010).
INTERESTING FACTS police crime lab
In 2010, the Police Department Crime Lab handled 4,307 lab requests. Included in the more than four thousand requests for lab work were 166 requests for firearms examinations. Additionally, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit responded to 2,093 calls for service in order to process scenes involving crimes such as burglary, felony assault, robbery, homicide, and other felony crimes.
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SECTION ELEVEN: FUTURE EFFORTS
11.1 | POWER UP PROGRAM SET TO LAUNCH IN 2011
In 2011, Original Aurora Renewal (OAR) in partnership with the Police Department will launch a pilot intervention program which is designed to provide adolescents at risk for truancy and criminal
behavior and their families with functional family therapy and individual or group mentoring. The program is grant-funded by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice. Eligible youth must live within a specific area in northwest Aurora to receive assistance. Referrals will be solicited from Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) staff, School Resource Officers, Gang Intervention Unit Officers, and Aurora Public Schools/CARB truancy teams. Enrolled families will receive a combination of evidence-based interventions, including Functional Family Therapy, a cognitive-behavioral youth group, and individual and/or group mentoring. Ineligible families will receive community referrals. This program is funded through 2014.
11.2 | POLICE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS RECEIVE WELLNESS TRAINING
In 2011, all members of the Department will receive a 1-day course taught by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin. The goal of this course will be to have officers and professional civilians review the potential impact the career causes in their personal life and to develop strategies for overall emotional survival. It will review the short and long-term effects on both the personal and professional aspects of their lives. The strategies are designed to permit the professional to continue functioning effectively and ethically. Dr. Gilmartin is a behavioral sciences and management consultant specializing in the law enforcement and public safety areas. He formerly spent 20 years in law enforcement in Tucson, Arizona. During his tenure, he supervised the Behavioral Sciences Unit and the Hostage Negotiations Team. He is a former recipient of the IACP-Parade Magazine National Police Officer Service Award for contributions during hostage negotiations. He holds adjunct faculty positions with The University of Massachusetts Police Leadership Institute, and The Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University. He is a guest instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia and a faculty member of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Institute. He holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Arizona and is the author of the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement.
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11.3 | CHALLENGES AROUND MARIJUANA GROWS
The recent passing of Amendment 20 of the Colorado Constitution, medical marijuana, has brought new challenges to law enforcement throughout Colorado. This map shows the general locations where marijuana grows have been discovered through January 3, 2011. Despite the passage of state laws and local ordinances, Marijuana grows are expected to continue to pose challenges to local governments and law enforcement well into the foreseeable future. Since this phenomenon of home marijuana grow operations has taken off across Colorado in 2009, the APD has dedicated significant resources to investigate complaints to ensure that these locations in Aurora remain in compliance with state and local laws.
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An electronic copy of this report is available at www.aurorapolice.com under Reports and Studies.
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