AURORA, CO - A new policy unveiled by the Aurora Police Department (APD) will allow its officers to pursue car thieves once again, along with assailants committing gun crimes and drunken drivers at the discretion of the officer responding to the situation.
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain explained to reporters from 9NEWS that responding officers wouldn’t be compelled to give pursuit in these situations but would be empowered to make the determination themselves. He said, "None of this is a shall – you have to go into a pursuit. This is at the discretion of the officer to look at the situation that he or she is in and then make that determination if that action equals the offense or the incident that's unfolding in front of them."
Chamberlain told Fox31 KDVR that under previous policy officers were forced to allow assailants to escape. “It was basically prohibited. The only vehicles that could be pursued were vehicles that were involved in violence or acts of violence and that was pretty much the pursuit policy,” he said.
The Aurora Police Department entered into a consent decree in 2022 following the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old man who died while in custody in 2019 after the Colorado Attorney General’s office announced in September 2021 that, “the Department of Law investigation team found that the Aurora Police Department had a pattern and practice of violating state and federal law through racially biased policing, using excessive force, and failing to record legally required information when interacting with the community.“
In a press release posted to X, the Aurora Police Department informed the public, “Pursuits are now authorized under the following circumstances:
· The suspect has committed or is committing a felony and presents a serious risk to public safety if not immediately apprehended.
· The suspect has committed or is committing a crime involving a firearm that poses a serious threat of harm to the public.
· The suspect is driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI/DWI).
· The suspect is driving a motor vehicle that has been confirmed stolen.”
Chamberlain said in a statement, “As the Chief of Police, my primary responsibility is ensuring the safety of the Aurora community while upholding the rights of residents not to be victimized by crime. Over the past several years, the Aurora Police Department has not engaged in pursuits of stolen vehicles, despite auto theft being a felony offense.”
He added, “This has created a reality where offenders believe they can victimize our community with no consequence, simply fleeing from law enforcement to avoid accountability.”
“This is unacceptable. Public safety demands a balanced approach; one that allows officers to exercise discretion in holding offenders accountable while always considering the risks associated with vehicle pursuits. Under our new policy, officers will have greater ability to pursue stolen vehicles, reinforcing that crime will not be tolerated in Aurora. This broader policy does not mean that officers engage in reckless chases, but rather a measured and responsible approach to stopping those who exploit gaps in enforcement.”
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain explained to reporters from 9NEWS that responding officers wouldn’t be compelled to give pursuit in these situations but would be empowered to make the determination themselves. He said, "None of this is a shall – you have to go into a pursuit. This is at the discretion of the officer to look at the situation that he or she is in and then make that determination if that action equals the offense or the incident that's unfolding in front of them."
Chamberlain told Fox31 KDVR that under previous policy officers were forced to allow assailants to escape. “It was basically prohibited. The only vehicles that could be pursued were vehicles that were involved in violence or acts of violence and that was pretty much the pursuit policy,” he said.
The Aurora Police Department entered into a consent decree in 2022 following the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old man who died while in custody in 2019 after the Colorado Attorney General’s office announced in September 2021 that, “the Department of Law investigation team found that the Aurora Police Department had a pattern and practice of violating state and federal law through racially biased policing, using excessive force, and failing to record legally required information when interacting with the community.“
In a press release posted to X, the Aurora Police Department informed the public, “Pursuits are now authorized under the following circumstances:
· The suspect has committed or is committing a felony and presents a serious risk to public safety if not immediately apprehended.
· The suspect has committed or is committing a crime involving a firearm that poses a serious threat of harm to the public.
· The suspect is driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI/DWI).
· The suspect is driving a motor vehicle that has been confirmed stolen.”
NEWS RELEASE: Aurora Police Department Updates Pursuit Policy #APDNews
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) March 10, 2025
March 10, 2025 — The Aurora Police Department has implemented a revised Pursuit Policy as part of its ongoing commitment to protecting the city of Aurora community and holding criminal offenders accountable.… pic.twitter.com/E7PkNygxVg
Chamberlain said in a statement, “As the Chief of Police, my primary responsibility is ensuring the safety of the Aurora community while upholding the rights of residents not to be victimized by crime. Over the past several years, the Aurora Police Department has not engaged in pursuits of stolen vehicles, despite auto theft being a felony offense.”
He added, “This has created a reality where offenders believe they can victimize our community with no consequence, simply fleeing from law enforcement to avoid accountability.”
“This is unacceptable. Public safety demands a balanced approach; one that allows officers to exercise discretion in holding offenders accountable while always considering the risks associated with vehicle pursuits. Under our new policy, officers will have greater ability to pursue stolen vehicles, reinforcing that crime will not be tolerated in Aurora. This broader policy does not mean that officers engage in reckless chases, but rather a measured and responsible approach to stopping those who exploit gaps in enforcement.”
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Comments
2025-03-13T19:11-0400 | Comment by: James
Get OUT of MY country, pigs ...........