(1) The Police Department shall be composed of the Chief of Police who shall be appointed by the City Manager with approval of a majority of City Council and such subordinate officers and police officers as shall be authorized by City Council as necessary to preserve the peace, protect persons and property, and enforce laws and ordinances. All members of the Department, except the Chief, Deputy Chief(s), Division Chiefs, and Commanders as hereafter provided for, shall be determined to be members of the Civil Service and shall be appointed pursuant to Civil Service requirements.

(2) The Civil Service of the Police Department shall consist of the following ranks and grades:

Captain

Lieutenant

Sergeant

Police Agent

Police Officer 1st Grade

Police Officer 2nd Grade

Police Officer 3rd Grade

Police Officer 4th Grade

(3) Additional grades or ranks may be created by at least seven (7) votes of the City Council. When created, they shall become a grade in the Civil Service, subject to Civil Service regulations. Any grade or rank created by a vote of the council may be thereafter abolished by at least seven (7) votes of the City Council. Positions allocated to such grade or rank may only be filled pursuant to Civil Service examination and certification.

(4) The Chief of Police may be appointed from the ranks of the Police Department and, in such an event, during the time shall retain and have accrued said time as active service in the Police Department and in the Civil Service thereof, for all purposes in connection with retirement, pension and medical benefits, sick and injury leave, vacation leave, terminal pay, benefits to his or her spouse and dependent children upon death, and all other benefits of the Civil Service of the Police Department which may now be in force or hereafter be provided, other than salary, on the same basis and with the same effect as if during such time the Chief had remained in active service in the Police Department and in the Civil Service thereof, in the rank which was held in the Civil Service when appointed.

(5) The Chief of Police may, from time to time, with the approval of the City Manager, assign not more than the number corresponding to .5% of the number of authorized sworn officers rounded to the nearest whole number of officers to positions designated as Division Chief, and not more than the number corresponding to 1.5% of the number of authorized sworn officers rounded to the nearest whole number of officers as Commanders. In order to increase the designated number of either Division Chief(s) or Commander(s), a two-thirds affirmative vote of City Council shall be required. At the request of the Chief of Police and approval of the City Manager, there may be one (1) Deputy Chief of Police position added when the Aurora Police Department authorized sworn strength reaches at least 800 authorized sworn members and an additional Deputy Chief of Police position may be added when the Aurora Police Department sworn strength reaches at least 1500 authorized sworn members. Unless otherwise stated or allowed by another provision of this Charter, Deputy Chief(s) shall be selected from the position of Division Chief. The positions of Division Chief and Commander shall be selected from the ranks of either Captain or Lieutenant. Persons holding these positions shall perform those duties designated by the Chief. All shall serve at the pleasure of the Chief of Police. A Deputy Chief's salary must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to a Division Chief. A Division Chief's salary must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to a Commander. A Commander's salary must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to a Captain. During such period of time as a Commander, Captain or Lieutenant shall serve in such capacity, they shall retain and have accrued said time as active service in the Police Department and in the Civil Service thereof, for all purposes in connection with retirement, pension and medical benefits, sick and injury leave, vacation leave, terminal pay, benefits to his or her spouse and dependent children upon death, and all other benefits of the Civil Service of the Police Department in existence at that time, or hereafter provided, other than salary, on the same basis and with the same effect as if during such time the Chief or Commander had remained in active service in the Police Department and in the Civil Service thereof, and the rank which was held in the Civil Service when appointed.

(6) It shall be the duty of the Police Force to suppress all riots, disturbances and breaches of the peace and apprehend any and all persons in the act of committing any offense against the laws of the State or of the ordinances, and to forthwith bring such persons before the proper court or other competent authority pursuant to law; and, at all times, to diligently and faithfully enforce all such laws, ordinances and regulations for the preservation of good order and the public welfare as the Council may enact.

(7) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the City Charter or ordinances, the Chief of Police shall, at his or her discretion, with approval of the City Manager, be empowered to select a Deputy Chief(s) and/or one or more Division Chiefs who have had no previous employment with the City of Aurora Police Department. Such individuals must meet, at a minimum, the educational and command experience requirements for the rank of Captain in the Aurora Police Department, and shall be Colorado P.O.S.T. certified. These individuals shall not be considered members of the civil service of the City of Aurora. At no time shall Division Chiefs selected from outside the Department comprise more than one-half of the total number of Division Chiefs. This provision is intended to permit the Chief of Police to advertise, and recruit, utilizing a competitive selection process, a Deputy Chief(s) and/or Division Chief(s) who, in the Chief's opinion, would provide qualifications and background that would be beneficial to the Aurora Police Department. (Ord. No. 67-35, 7-25-1967; Ord. No. CA75-6, 11-4-1975; Ord. No. CA75-7, 11-4-1975; Ord. No. 87-202, § 16, 11-3-1987; Ord. No. 2003-23, § 1, 11-4-2003; Ord. No. 2003-25, § 1, 11-4-2003; Ord. No. 2023-23, § 1, 6-28-2023)