Aurora to publicize complaints about police officers on website
Aurora officials are inviting residents to attend forums next month to review the police department's use-of-force policies and training programs.
In addition, the department now plans to publicize complaints against officers, and decisions made on those complaints, on its web page.
The two initiatives were announced Friday when Mayor Richard Irvin issued a proclamation promoting the celebration of Juneteenth. The day marks the 155th anniversary of the day enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, were informed of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued two years earlier.
The new steps are part of the city's CHANGE Reform Initiative, announced two weeks ago to address complaints about racism in the police department.
Up to 50 residents can attend the forums; others will be able to submit comments online. There will be five forums on force policies and five that look at training. Dates have not yet been announced, but registration begins Monday on the city's website.
The forums will be moderated by 20 residents, 12 of whom are leaders in the city's Black community. Applications are still open for the other eight positions.
Those named Friday include lawyer Sharonda Roberson. Roberson organized a rally earlier this month at the Aurora Police Department to protest against police brutality, and started a 13-point petition that called for establishing a citizen review board that would be involved in disciplining officers, psychological evaluations throughout an officer's career, and publishing complaints about officers.
City spokesman Clayton Muhammad said staff members are discussing the pros and cons of having a citizen review board. They also are almost ready to send out a formal request for information about purchasing body cameras for police. They are due to report on both to the city council Aug. 11, he said.
Irvin opened the event by explaining Juneteenth, then segued into the discrimination he faced as a Black resident growing up in Aurora, including unwarranted police stops and assumptions by court security that when he showed up in court, he was a defendant. Irvin is a lawyer - first as a prosecutor, then in private criminal defense.
While things have gotten better over the years, he said, there's room for improvement.
"No longer can we sing the words of that old spiritual 'We will overcome, someday.' That day must be today," he said.