Elijah McClain
Aurora OKs police and fire raises amid controversy over timing of Elijah McClain death
AURORA | City council approved new contracts with its police and fire departments that include small raises despite some pushback over the timing of the vote coinciding with the anniversary of the death of Elijah McClain. On Monday, city council approved two collective bargaining agreements, or union contracts, with the Aurora Fraternal Order of Police […]
Aurora recruiting its first police, fire ‘accountability’ monitor
AURORA | The city is starting to recruit its first public safety accountability monitor to establish a new office meant to be a watchdog over police, fire, 911 and detention. The job application for the manager of the recently created Office of Public Safety Accountability will open on Aug. 24. The city is working with […]
Aurora lawmakers slated for final vote on creation of internal police oversight sector
AURORA | City lawmakers on Monday will hold a final vote on whether to create an Office of Public Safety Accountability, a permanent monitoring office to oversee police, fire, 911 and detention. The proposal has so far garnered unanimous approval among a city council that rarely sees such agreement among issues affecting the Aurora Police […]
Aurora closer to creating internal police, fire oversight office in wake of consent decree
AURORA | City council on Monday unanimously approved the creation of an Office of Public Safety Accountability, a permanent monitoring office to oversee police, fire, 911 and detention. The office’s duties will include investigating critical public safety incidents that result in serious injury or death, as well as ongoing reviews of public safety operations. It […]
PERRY: The Elijah McClain homicide trial process didn’t get in the way of the facts, nor the convictions
The facts surrounding the death of Elijah McClain at the hands of Aurora police and paramedics in 2019 have never changed. Despite that, a state court of appeals decision last week upended two of the fact-based, hard-fought court battles to hold some of the cops and paramedics accountable for McClain’s death. McClain, a 23-year-old Black […]
Aurora Black community leaders demand city reaffirm’s convictions in Elijah McClain case
AURORA | Metro Black community leaders have called on the Aurora City Council to reaffirm the convictions of two paramedics who were granted new trials in the death of Elijah McClain. The Colorado Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned the convictions of Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, who had been convicted of negligent homicide after […]
Appeals court overturns paramedics convictions in Elijah McClain case
AURORA | Two paramedics convicted in the death of Elijah McClain will be retried after rulings from the Colorado Court of Appeals on Thursday. The court of appeals agreed with defense lawyers that court procedures in 2024 improperly influenced the jury, warranting a new trial for both paramedics. In 2019, McClain was walking down the […]
EDITORIAL: Polis should help police increase transparency by signing law mandating it
Aurora, Denver and police agencies across the state have shown that transparency in how law enforcement operates, and especially when a life is lost during police intervention, is critical to the public’s trust. Senate Bill 26-290 moved that important goal ahead, and Gov. Jared Polis should sign it. Contrary to the claims of critics, SB […]
Kilyn Lewis’ family files second lawsuit against Aurora police for fatal shooting
AURORA | The family of Kilyn Lewis, a Black man who was shot and killed by Aurora police during his arrest in 2024, has filed a second lawsuit against the city, alleging systemic failures in policies and training led to Lewis’ death. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks to hold the city accountable for […]
Aurora moves to create ‘independent’ police oversight office amid state reform mandate
AURORA | After four years under a state mandated consent decree overseeing policy and training changes in Aurora’s public safety departments, the city is moving forward with creating its own permanent monitoring office to ensure accountability continues. City Manager Jason Batchelor presented a proposed ordinance to create the Office of Public Safety Accountability to city […]