Former Rotary Officer of the Year Troy Brienzo indicted by grand jury on sexual assault charges

Looking at his record, Sgt. Troy Brienzo appeared to be a leader and model officer in the Parker Police Department.

The 31-year-old Army veteran received multiple commendations and awards throughout his nearly 10-year career with the department, with some as recent as last year.

Brienzo rose through the ranks of the department, starting out in the explorer’s program, a job shadowing program for 14-to-20-year-olds interested in law enforcement, before becoming a full-fledged police officer. He was assigned as a detective, then later became a patrol sergeant.

He was recognized last year as the Rotary Officer of the Year by the Cherry Creek Valley Rotary Club, and was praised in a Facebook post celebrating the accomplishment by the department — one of many posts singing his praises.

“Sergeant Brienzo is more than a leader on his team; he is a force of positivity, resilience and unwavering dedication,” the post said. “He doesn’t just respond when duty calls; he’s usually already there. Whether it’s on the front lines during a crisis, mentoring younger officers, or helping guide his department through challenging moments, Sgt. Brienzo leads from the front. Always present. Always involved. Always all in.”

Now, Brienzo has been accused of sexual assault.

He was placed on administrative leave in January as the department launched an investigation into the allegations, which reportedly happened while he was on duty. He resigned in February, several days before the department would publicly announce that he was under investigation, though at the time the department did not specify the reason for the investigation.

“I appreciate the opportunity I had serving the citizens of Parker during my years with the Department,” Brienzo wrote in his resignation letter, obtained by The Denver Gazette.

He was arrested April 3 after a grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against him. He is alleged to have sexually assaulted a member of the department’s explorer program, the same program he was once a member of and was an adviser for at the time of his resignation.

He is accused of asking a young woman for sexual favors during a ride-along, groping her while she was restrained during a practice pat-down search and making her touch his erect penis.

Brienzo attempted to claim the encounter was consensual, according to the indictment.

The woman reported Brienzo’s alleged actions, and he was placed on administrative leave four days later after being informed by a police commander that the allegations could be criminal.

Upon hearing this, Brienzo reportedly slumped over and said he was going to throw up, according to the indictment. He then called a friend and fellow officer and told him “I’m losing my job.”

Brienzo is also alleged to have had a previous sexual relationship with a different member of the explorer’s program for whom he was an adviser, according to the grand jury indictment.

Records obtained by The Denver Gazette paint a picture of Brienzo as a beloved officer commended for his heroic actions, dedication to the job, compassion and leadership.

In addition to the officer of the year award, Brienzo received a citizen award in May 2016, when he was a police trainee, after an incident in March of that year when he notified homeowners of a fire in their garage. Brienzo was driving past the house when he saw flames coming from the garage; he pulled over and entered the residence through an unlocked door, yelled “fire” and helped evacuate the residents from the home.

The homeowner credited Brienzo with saving lives.

Brienzo was hired in June 2016, the department said. He received a special assignment as a detective from 2021 to 2023, and was promoted to sergeant in 2023.

Brienzo was also one of many officers to receive a chief’s commendation for the police training and communications training unit in 2022 for their work “tirelessly and selflessly” training new recruits during a staffing deficit in 2020 and 2021. He also received the chief’s unit commendations for his work in a 2021 SWAT response and 2022 homicide response.

Brienzo was also given a letter of commendation in 2019 for his “dedicated and compassionate service” when responding to a call for a teen who had attempted suicide. After arriving on scene, Brienzo “quickly assessed the situation and calmly took control.”

The letter of recognition praises Brienzo for his “empathy and compassion” while responding to the call and includes a letter of thanks from a family member of the teen.

“Troy Brienzo treated my family and me like human beings experiencing a true emergency,” the person wrote in the letter. “His consideration was evident and reassuring. I will never be able to repay the thanks I have for the brave work that officers like Troy Brienzo provide our community.”

Brienzo was also one of several officers given a letter of recognition in 2024, honoring his leadership in the Douglas County Regional SWAT team. The letter recognizes Brienzo and others’ “unwavering” commitment to training and staying up to date on the latest tactics and technology.

But Brienzo was reportedly engaging in sexual misconduct as far back as his time as a detective. As part of the grand jury investigation, investigators interviewed a woman who was previously a member of the explorer program and later became a civilian adviser after she aged out of the program. Brienzo was one of her advisers when she was an explorer, she said.

The woman told investigators that she and Brienzo had an intimate relationship and, on one occasion, had intercourse in his marked patrol vehicle during a ride along. The age of the woman during the relationship, as well as the length of their relationship, was redacted in the indictment, though the indictment did say the relationship began when Brienzo was a detective and ended after he was promoted to sergeant.

It is unclear if Brienzo and the woman began their sexual relationship during her time as an explorer or after she became a civilian adviser.

As part of a records request, The Denver Gazette requested any disciplinary records or complaints the department had on Brienzo and was only given one complaint for which Brienzo was exonerated. According to the complaint, Brienzo and other officers “grabbed and yanked” a driver out of his vehicle during a traffic stop.

After seeing a truck with improperly displayed plates in a parking lot, Brienzo attempted to contact the driver, who refused to speak with Brienzo and ignored as many as 19 requests to exit the vehicle, the complaint said. The internal Parker police investigation cleared Brienzo of any wrongdoing in the incident.

Brienzo has been charged with four counts of official misconduct, one count of unlawful sexual contact and two felony counts of unlawful sexual conduct by a peace officer. After his arrest, he posted a $25,000 bond and was released. His arraignment is set for Monday, court records show.

An attorney for Brienzo did not respond to a phone message seeking comment.

Denver Gazette reporter Michael Braithwaite contributed to this report.