Police Seek Community Input in Search for New Aurora Police Chief

Following the termination of Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson in April of 2022, the Aurora Police Department released a community survey and held a public forum on June 14 to receive community input on the search. It is the hope of the department that community desires and concerns can be factored into the decision on the new police chief.

Wilson was fired by Aurora City Manager Jim Twombly, who cited concerns with Wilson’s overall management and leadership of the department. Wilson herself called the firing politically motivated. Critics of Wilson’s termination fear that this will set back police reform in the department. This is a major concern, given the results of a 14-month investigation which concluded that the Aurora Police Department uses excessive force and racially biased police practices. The department has come under fire for incidents including the death of 23-year-old Aurora resident Elijah McClain.

Public Sector Search & Consulting, Inc. (PSSC) is a California-based consultancy company that specializes in the recruitment of police executives and will be pivotal in the national search for Aurora’s new police chief. PSSC has conducted over 40 police executive searches in recent years across the country. They will work with Interim Chief Daniel J. Oates, who formerly served as Aurora’s Police Chief from 2005 to 2014, and the city management team to select applicants they believe will build morale within the department, maintain transparency with the community and media, and further develop the city’s systemic public safety changes while continuing to tackle crime across the city.

Twombly says, “I want the right person for the job, someone who will simultaneously support our dedicated police officers and provide the level of public safety our community deserves. We will be thoughtful and thorough in our search for a new chief, and the community’s input is a crucial first step.”

City management intends to name a new police chief this fall.