Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan said moving the stop a half-mile north "presents an opportunity for additional transit-oriented development ... perhaps another hotel and restaurant." (Handout, Denver Post file photo)
Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan wants to implement an independent monitor who would oversee police activity and monitor police misconduct.
Hogan said there's no particular reason for his desire to bring a monitor on board now. For instance, there hasn't been a recent rash of officer-involved shootings ? as there was a few years ago ? or numerous complaints of officer abuse.
But Hogan said he wants to be prepared so that when a police shooting or something questionable comes up, there is a point person who would oversee the investigation process.
"It's really another example of trying to be proactive rather than reactive," Hogan said Wednesday. "Aurora has gone through this transition from being a suburb to a city."
Hogan will speak next week before the city's Public Safety Committee to make his pitch. With an endorsement by the panel, the proposal would go to the City Council for consideration.
Yet Hogan knows his idea won't be popular with the rank-and-file or the higher-ups in the department. In Denver, for example, former independent police monitor Richard Rosenthal was disliked by many cops. They said Rosenthal was heavy handed in his punishment and he overstepped his authority.
"There aren't any chiefs, there aren't any police association heads, not many folks who wear the uniform who like the idea. They just don't," Hogan said. "Yet, good government just doesn't come from what people like. It comes from being ready to address an issue."
Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates could not be reached for comment.
"We were just informed of it last week," Deputy Chief Terry Jones said. "We're looking forward to the discussion."
Mark Finnin, head of the police department's largest union, said adding a police monitor is an unnecessary expense.
"Our department is one of the most transparent departments in the state of Colorado and that's to the credit of the chief," Finnin said. "He gets in front of things when he needs to."
Aurora already has a system in place that deals with complaints against police officers. After a criminal investigation has been done, the internal affairs department investigates any issues with an officer and reports to the police chief. The chief deals with discipline, but the officer can appeal his findings to the Civil Service Commission.
Under Hogan's proposal, the independent monitor would be appointed by the mayor and City Council and would oversee civilian and internal complaints involving officers, internal affairs investigations, discipline, use of force and in-custody deaths.
The independent monitor would then make a recommendation to the police chief.
If the proposal is approved by the council, Hogan said he is confident he can find money in the budget to fund a monitor and staff and a monitor could be in place within the first several months of 2014, he said.
"I wish I could say with absolute certainty there will never be an incident with the Aurora Police Department in the future," Hogan said. "But if I said that, I would be very naive. There's going to be something someday. I would rather the city be proactive and get ahead than reactive."
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175, cillescas@denverpost.com or twitter.com/cillescasdp
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