Members of the public are invited to a meeting with the Community Advisory Council to discuss the most recent Aurora Police Department consent decree report and share perspectives.

The Community Advisory Council, which acts as a bridge between the public and the consent decree monitor, is hosting the meeting on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. virtually. Members of the public can also call in at (720) 388-8447.

During the meeting, city officials and consent decree monitor representatives will give an overview of the key findings and progress in the most recent report, talk about ongoing initiatives to improve and answer questions from the public.

The city entered into the consent decree with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office in 2021 to implement sweeping changes to policing — notably in the use of force and how officers engage with residents following Elijah McClain’s death at the hands of police and paramedics.

Aurora agreed to make changes after an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office found patterns of bias and excessive force in policing. The investigation also found a pattern of using the sedative ketamine in violation of the law by the fire department, which has since stopped using the drug but has to comply with related mandates in the consent agreement if it ever resumes use.

The monitor said in the latest report, number eight of 12 covering progress made between Aug. 16 and Feb. 16, that it is “pleased and encouraged by” the city’s progress in the decree, adding that it has “substantially embraced the philosophy” of the decree.

Notably, the monitor praised the department’s follow-up to the Kilyn Lewis shooting last May and said the police chief made important changes to the SWAT team.

Lewis was unarmed and shot during the execution of a high-risk arrest warrant by APD SWAT. The 18th Judicial District determined that the shooting was justified and an internal review by APD determined that the officer, Michael Dieck, did not violate department policy.

The consent decree monitor reviewed both the district attorney and department’s reviews and said in the report that they both reached appropriate conclusions. It added that there were allegations pf potential bias and constitutional policing issues in the last reporting period that were not sustained.

Protesters for Lewis, however, continue to show up at every City Council meeting, maintaining that the shooting was unjust and that the city needs to take further action against Dieck and the department.

Lewis’ shooting pushed Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain to review APD’s SWAT protocol and make several changes, the report said.

“The need for significant reform of SWAT operational practices was recognized by both the Monitor and APD, and APD addressed and implemented such reforms,” the report stated.

The report also addressed Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua and APD’s connection to immigration enforcement, saying that the political landscape creates a “complex environment” for the department.

Going forward, the monitor will assess and report on APD’s collaboration with federal authorities and make sure they follow state and federal law. Specifically, they will make sure APD’s handling of immigration policing meets the consent decree’s requirements for bias-free policing, according to the report.

According to the monitor, the department has completed the requirements for several decree categories including general policies and training and use of ketamine and other chemical sedatives.

The department is on the right track with use of force, recruiting, hiring and promotion, and accountability and transparency, according to the monitor.

It is on cautionary tracks for addressing racial bias in policing and documentation of stops.

The full recent report can be found on the monitor’s website.