2-436 Reserve police force | Aurora City Code

Sec. 2-436. Reserve police force.

(a) There is hereby established the Aurora police department reserve police force (hereinafter "reserve police force"), which force shall be subject to and operate under the direction and control of the police chief. Persons appointed to this reserve police force will be reserve police officers. The police chief may appoint up to the number corresponding to five percent of the authorized sworn strength of the regular police department (rounded to the nearest whole number) as reserve police officers. Members of the reserve police force must be fully certified as a basic peace officer or hold a reserve certification by the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Board.

(b) Reserve police officers appointed under this section are voluntary and unpaid while serving solely in the role of a reserve police officer. No person appointed by the police chief to the position of a reserve police officer shall be considered an employee of the city as a full-time police officer for any purpose, nor shall such person be entitled to any compensation, sick leave, longevity pay, annual leave, compensatory time benefits, or any other paid benefit afforded to regular full-time paid police officers for service as a reserve police officer. Reserve police officers may be a paid employee of the city in a non-police officer position, with service as a reserve police officer subject to the approval by the employee's department director. The city will provide insurance coverage for worker's compensation at the city's expense, and the city will provide appropriate insurance protection concerning any civil liability that a reserve police officer may be subject to as a result of an incident occurring during the course and scope of his or her duties as a reserve police officer.

(d) The police chief will promulgate rules and regulations governing the conduct and terms of service of any member of the reserve police force, which will include when reserve police officers may act as a reserve police officer. While authorized by the police chief to act as a reserve police officer, the reserve police officer will have the same authority and powers vested in full-time Aurora police officers under this code, state law, and federal law. Pursuant to applicable state law, those reserve police officers who hold a full basic peace officer certification by the P.O.S.T. board may be granted full peace officer status and authority at the discretion of the police chief.

(1) The following individuals are authorized to be appointed by the police chief as reserve police officers where, at the time of appointment, the person is:

a. A current city employee; or

b. A person associated with the Tactical Medic Program, whether or not a city employee; or

c. A person participating in the Aurora police department police officer cadet program and is in good standing; or

d. A former city employee who retired in good standing and would otherwise be eligible for rehire; or

e. A person who lives in the City of Aurora who has at least five years of law enforcement experience and:

1. Left their prior law enforcement agency in good standing;

2. Has no prior disciplinary history while working as a law enforcement officer greater than a written reprimand or similar; and

3. Is fully Colorado P.O.S.T. certified as at least a basic peace officer.

(2) For purposes of this section, the term "good standing" means the person left or retired from employment on their own accord, not under investigation or in lieu of termination.

(f) The reserve police force will not affect the number of authorized sworn full-time police officer positions in the regular police force within the police department. (Ord. No. 2023-35, § 1, 8-28-2023)