The announcement comes weeks after an outside consulting firm – which has also been audited – published a preliminary report in mid-March that “identified a major concern about late police records”, a report that Twombly said was not reason for Wilson’s dismissal, and puts the Aurora Police Department back in the spotlight. Twombly had announced the decision in a statement earlier Wednesday, saying Wilson had been fired and the city had launched an investigation into a new police chief who would take immediate effect. Twombly said Aurora Police Chief Chris Juul would take over as chief of staff. “It is clear that Chief Wilson has given priority to community involvement,” Twombly said in a statement to CNN posted on the city’s website. “However, the police chief must also effectively manage the department’s operations, work effectively with staff, build morale and validate employee feedback.” “This, as I said in my opening statement, is based on my assessment of the situation, my discussion with the officers, the review of the report on the record situation and then the overall assessment I made.” Twombly was added during the press conference.
Hundreds of pending cases, reference findings
The preliminary assessment found more than 2,500 unexecuted files at the Aurora Police Department, according to a report by Ed Claughton. “As a result of delays in processing police reports, the violent crimes reported to the Aurora Police Department may not be investigated for months, allowing suspects who would otherwise have been investigated and detained to repeat the offenses,” he wrote. Claughton. The accumulated cases, more than 1,000 of which are from 2021, include those related to the murder and abuse of children, according to the report. “The Aurora Police Department will face significant scrutiny and liability in the event of a suspect committing murder or other violent crime, who would otherwise have been detained if there was no transfer queue,” Claughton wrote. On Tuesday, Twombly issued a statement describing the preliminary findings as “worrying”. “The issues he has identified are obviously unacceptable. While the counselor is discussing them in terms of responsibility, I see them as a danger and a danger to our officers and the community,” he said. Twombly went back and forth about the weight of the report on Wilson’s dismissal. In an exchange with a reporter, Twombly said Wilson “was not fired because of the file problem”. “It really’s because of the lack of trust in me, on my part, to be able to lead the department,” he said at one point.
An official says the city director may have been pressured for the fire chief
Asked if “he was actually told by the city council that if you did not fire Vanessa Wilson, they would fire you,” Twombly said no. “I was never told that by the city council. I’m certainly heard rumors about it, they never told me.” Juan Marcano, a member of Aurora City Council for Division IV, told CNN that the city director had been pressured to fire Wilson. “I can tell you from my point of view, I have full confidence that he was pressured by the most vocal members of our Republican majority to get rid of Leader Wilson, or they would basically try to get rid of him,” he said. “This is, clearly and simply, a retaliation against a police chief who was aggressively trying to reform the culture of our department after our community revolted and demanded it.” Wilson’s lawyer, Paula Greisen, led CNN in an article published Wednesday in the Sentinel Colorado, calling the report a “clear political success” and claiming that there were ideological biases in the consulting firm that conducted the report. “Why would a city like Aurora – in the density of state-imposed police reform and trying to dig up a mountain of documented police scandals, many of which focus on systemic racism – hire a self-proclaimed warrior against “Police reform, the demands of the Black Lives Matters and other concerns that ‘awakened’ are confused,” the editorial board wrote. The article advocated an anti-police reform based on Claughton’s investigation, Twombly told the press conference that PRI Management Group, the consulting firm Claughton works for, was selected through a process in which Aurora City officials reviewed the work done by her and another organization, and in the evaluations PRI noted highest score. “They addressed the issues we wanted to address and had done similar studies in the past,” he said. Asked if he was worried about Claughton’s social media posts, Twombly said he did not know. “I did not know about them until yesterday. We do not control in general, no in general, we never control the political background of the advisers we hire. What they have published or, we do not care about whether they are conservatives or Democrats or whatever.” In an email to CNN, PRI Management Group said it was conducting a staffing study for the city of Aurora, which is still ongoing, and that the study is not aimed at specific employees. “This study did not include the performance appraisal of individual employees, nor was our work in any way, shape or form intended to discredit, discredit, evaluate or influence the employment of the Chief of Police,” the statement said. “To suggest anything to the contrary or to politicize this issue is very unfortunate.” CNN contacted Claughton for comment. Marcano said Wilson became interim chief in January 2020, after the deputy chief resigned in order to take over the post of retired chief after another officer “disguised” him. “The leadership passed to then-interim chief Vanessa Wilson, who eventually became chief of police,” he told CNN. “This was at a time when our community was upset by the assassination of Elijah McLean and demanded accountability. This was further reinforced by the assassination of George Floyd and calls for police reform and accountability nationwide.” Marcano said he believed Wilson had “won the wrath” of the Aurora Police Association, the union representing the city’s police while working on the reform, “and I’m disappointed that I believe these reactionary forces have won with these actions. “Our city director today.”
Support for a dismissal decision
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Aurora Police Association said it had been informed of the shooting and “fully supports” the decision. “We look forward to working closely with a new administration, giving priority to officer morale, leadership leadership and service to the citizens of Aurora,” the union said in a statement. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman told a news conference Wednesday that he supported Wilson’s initial hiring, but the report changed things. “I thought he was the right person at the right time for this city, that we were going through quite a difficult period in terms of restoring trust in our community,” he said. “I think it was crucial not only to regain that trust but also to set the department on a path of reform.” “I had some concerns as the situation in Aurora changed and crime became a growing issue for her leadership, but I will say this, that my concerns never went up to say we need to replace the police chief.” said Coffman. . “However, this report on the crucial role of the archives and the lack of leadership and ensuring that this process worked effectively, I think endangered the public safety of our city and I think it was and is a monumental leadership failure. “ For his part, Twombly said Wilson “excelled” as a community leader. “As for the many crises we have experienced, I think she did very well when she responded to them. I think that was obviously her strength, and she deserves praise for that. But as I said, there is more to managing a police station than this aspect of it “. CNN’s Leslie Perrot contributed to this report.
