Oates is scheduled to undergo a minor surgery before beginning his work in Aurora, where he will relocate while serving as interim chief. Oates agreed in his contract to not seek the permanent chief position. The city will pay Oates $18,250 a month while he serves as interim chief and Twombly said the appointment will likely last six to eight months. In 2012, officers destroyed evidence in 48 sexual assault cases, rendering some of the cases unable to proceed. In 2011, Aurora police officers shot two unarmed theft suspects, killing one, and sparking outrage in the community. But his time as chief also included controversy. Oates was hailed nationwide for his leadership during the Aurora theater shooting, during which his department’s response was widely lauded. The Civil Service Commission reversed three of those four, he wrote, forcing him to “bend over backward negotiate their departures with creative severance packages.” In the column, Oates wrote that during his time as chief he wanted to fire 16 officers but was only able to fire four. He has worked as a consultant since his retirement and in 2020 penned an opinion column for The Washington Post criticizing police unions’ abilities to block chiefs from disciplining officers for misconduct. Oates was hired by Miami Beach to improve the department’s culture and to fill a crisis of leadership, according to a letter by the city’s manager. Juvenile sexually assaulted in public restroom at the Aurora Sports Park
“It’s the only way forward for the department and it’s leadership’s job to convey that to the department,” he said. Oates also said the consent decree - which requires changes in use-of-force, hiring and training policies - is a good roadmap and he intends to relay that message to the department. Twombly said Oates’ priorities will be implementing the consent decree that followed an investigation by the Colorado attorney general, stabilizing the department after “uncertainty” with Wilson, and dealing with the uptick in the city’s crime. “I look forward to doing the best I can to help the city in this interim period,” Oates said Wednesday during a news conference.Īurora City Manager Jim Twombly said he picked Oates in part because he had a longstanding reputation in the community and inside the department for his good work in Aurora as chief. He holds a law degree from New York Law School, a master’s degree in management from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Bucknell University, according to the news release. After leaving Aurora, he became chief in Miami Beach, Florida, before retiring from law enforcement in 2019. Oates became chief of the Aurora Police Department after working as chief in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and as deputy chief for the New York City Police Department. We’ll all need to work together to ensure a smooth transition to the new chief.” I also look forward to reconnecting with the wonderful Aurora community.
I want to help the men and women of the APD get through this critical period of reform. It has given so much to me and my family over the years. “I am honored and flattered to be asked to serve again,” Oates said in a news release. Division Chief Chris Juul has been leading the department since the city manager’s April 6 firing of Wilson. The man who led the Aurora Police Department through the 2012 theater shooting will take his old job back temporarily as interim chief while the city seeks a new leader following the firing of Chief Vanessa Wilson.ĭan Oates, who served as chief from 2005 to 2014, will start in the new role before May 23, city officials announced Wednesday. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu