Aurora Police Archives

The Aurora Police Department Records staff is responsible for the management of police records, including the processing of reports, citations, warrants, expungements, Freedom of Information Act requests concerning police records, and the transmittal of information to police agencies, county/ state/federal courts and corrections systems.
 
The Records Department is open for walk-up business from 8am – 4pm, Monday through Friday, in the lobby of the Aurora Police Department at 1200 E. Indian Trail Aurora, IL 60505. 

After hours requests can be directed to the front desk officer on duty. Voicemails and emails will be directed to records staff during the next scheduled business day.

Phone: 630-256-5720
Fax: 630-256-5729
Email: [email protected] 

Records staff contact information is as follows:
 
Records Manager   Alyssa Bockman                  630-256-5722
Rosa Bocanegra                      630-256-5723
Maria Courtney                        630-256-5726
Christy Davis                            630-256-5725
Luly Godinho                            630-256-5727
Chris Hayevsky                         630-256-5725
Janine Hines                             630-256-5718
Theodora Hope                         630-256-5728
Amy Jackson                             630-256-5731
Rich Keck                                  630-256-5724
Elizabeth Robles                       630-256-5736
  

Additional information can be found by clicking on the following subjects:

Fourteen months before Colorado lawmakers passed the sweeping law enforcement accountability and transparency bill recently signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis, they approved a measure to shine a light on how police departments police themselves.

House Bill 19-1119 was groundbreaking, introducing a statewide standard for the disclosure of records on completed internal affairs investigations. Before its enactment, nearly all sheriff’s offices and police departments in Colorado routinely rejected requests for internal affairs files — either with a blanket policy or a finding that disclosure would be “contrary to the public interest” — leaving the public “largely in the dark with regard to allegations and investigations of police misconduct,” according to a 2018 study by the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.

Since April 2019, when the new law went into effect, journalists have been able to obtain some disciplinary records that most agencies would have kept confidential in the past. Last fall, for example, The Greeley Tribune requested and received the summary findings of an internal investigation involving a Greeley police officer who wrongfully accused a woman of harassment and assault.

But incidents in Colorado and elsewhere show the limitations of HB 19-1119 as a tool of transparency, accountability and for building trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. More could be done to ensure the public knows when officers are accused of misconduct or of using excessive force, how those allegations are investigated and whether and how discipline is imposed.

Journalists who cover criminal justice matters are grateful for the access provided by HB 19-1119, but they can be frustrated by its narrow scope. The law — the result of legislative compromises — applies only to records “related to a specific, identifiable incident of alleged misconduct involving a member of the public” while an officer is in uniform or on duty.

“You have to know about a specific incident to request the records,” Denver Post reporter Elise Schmelzer told the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

Because it is worded so specifically, the Colorado statute does not guarantee the public will see the disciplinary history of someone like Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes. Although the Aurora police department quickly released its internal affairs report on the officers who mocked the killing of Elijah McClain in photos, that incident may not fit the disclosure requirements of HB 19-1119 because the officers were not “interacting with a member of the public.”

While the Denver Department of Public Safety is an outlier — regularly providing the disciplinary records of police officers and sheriff’s deputies in response to requests — and the Aurora police department is providing more information than in the past, other Colorado law enforcement agencies have taken a strict-constructionist view of HB 19-1119’s statutory language.

When a reporter last year asked the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for case numbers and summaries of all internal affairs investigations initiated and completed since the bill’s effective date, she was told her request was “vague” and did not “meet the specificity” as defined by the language of the bill.

Earlier this month, the Fort Collins Police Department denied a reporter’s request for a log of complaints filed since the effective date of HB 19-1119 because the request did not identify “a specific incident,” nor was it limited to “internal investigations involving a member of the public.”

But even some requests citing specific incidents have been rejected. When journalists asked a police department for internal affairs records on officers who had fired their weapons on dates they specified, they were told the incidents did not involve allegations of misconduct and, therefore, were outside the scope of the new law. In January, the town of Severance denied a reporter’s request for records related to the suspension of the police chief and the departure of a sergeant, saying the complaints against them “were generated by internal sources and … had nothing to do with an external complaint from a citizen, or more specifically alleged misconduct involving a member of the public.”

Any requests for disciplinary files deemed not to fall under the provisions of the 2019 statute are subject to the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, which gives law enforcement agencies considerable discretion regarding the release of most of their records. Disclosure may be “contrary to the public interest” if the agency has conducted a balancing test of factors laid out in a 2005 Colorado Supreme Court ruling, Harris v. Denver Post.

One of those factors is “the public purpose to be served in allowing inspection.” By enacting HB 19-1119, the legislature determined that the public purpose is paramount once an internal affairs investigation is complete, and no balancing test is necessary.

But the public should be informed, regardless of whether someone knows to request a specific file.

“Internal affairs secrecy contributes to the ‘code of silence’ or ‘blue wall,’ by creating the expectation that things will be kept in house and away from objective outsiders,” Denver District Court Judge Catherine A. Lemon wrote in a 2005 ruling against the Denver police department. “Open access to internal affairs files enhances the effectiveness of internal affairs investigations, rather than impairing them. Knowing that they will be scrutinized makes investigators do a better job and makes them and the department more accountable to the public.”

Following that ruling and others, Denver opened public access to the internal affairs records of police officers and sheriff’s deputies. Multiple news organizations now make regular requests for any disciplinary letters and orders, which include detailed summaries. If someone asks for additional records, or records of internal investigations that did not lead to disciplinary actions, those will be provided, said Mary Dulacki, deputy director of Denver’s public safety department.

“I understand the concerns for wanting to respect the employee’s rights,” Dulacki told CFOIC. “I totally get that. But you also have to recognize there is a great public interest … in how law enforcement handles and investigates their own and how they are disciplined. That’s part of being a public employee.”

Last month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the repeal of a long-standing provision of the state’s civil service law that let police departments shield misconduct records from public scrutiny. In response, cities including Utica, Rochester and New York City announced they will create online databases of officer disciplinary records, eliminating the need for public records requests.

Colorado’s legislature could follow suit by at least requiring all law enforcement agencies to do what Denver has been doing for the past 14 years.

Follow the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition on Twitter @CoFOIC. Like CFOIC’s Facebook page. Visit CFOIC’s legislature page to track bills in the General Assembly that could affect the flow or availability of information in Colorado.

Crime Statistics

The Aurora Police Department compiles and manages crime statistics for the city. Data released for 2017 reveal that the city recorded 13,293 reported incidents made up of 2,239 cases of violent crimes and 11,054 property crime incidents. A further breakdown of the figures reveals that thefts accounted for 66.2% of total crimes. Burglaries made up 11.4%, assault accounted for 10.8% and auto-thefts made up 5.5% of crimes. The city's average crime rate was 18% higher than the state and 32% than the national average. With 9.9 daily crimes per 100,000 residents, the city was safer than 14% of the major cities in the U.S.

Police Records and Arrest Reports

The Aurora Police Records Unit is the centralized storage and processing area for all records and information relating to Aurora Police Department activities, including criminal reports, arrest records, and accident reports.

Who Can Obtain a Police Report

Records may be exempted for release if it jeopardizes an individual's right to privacy. Records may also be exempted for if they:

• Include information that may deprive a person of a fair trial or disclose investigation techniques
• Include information that may endanger the safety of a person or witness
• Identify juvenile information
• Include confidential information
• Identify victim information

How to Obtain Police Records

Public record requests can be made in-person, by mail or online. Requesters can obtain records by submitting a public request form in addition to the applicable fees to:

Aurora Police Department
Attn: Records Section
15001 E. Alameda Parkway
Aurora, CO 80012

The department charges $7.15 for the first 10 pages and $0.25 for each additional page. Additional charges are applied for redaction and/or certification. Check or money order should be made payable to "City of Aurora".

How to Request Background Checks

The Aurora Police Records Unit processes requests for clearance letter and background checks. Completed request forms can be submitted by mail, online or in person to The Records Unit, located on the first floor in the Aurora Police Headquarters Building.

How to Find Sex Offender Information

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation provides public access to registered sex offenders residing in Aurora and other participating jurisdictions within the state. The online registry contains the names of registered sex offenders living within the city limits. Residents can search for information by name, address or zip code. Users can also specify a radius and search for registrants living within the region.

Court Records

The Colorado Judicial Branch Online service provides records covering the different counties that fall within Aurora municipal areas, including the Adams County Justice Centre, Arapahoe County Justice Center and Douglas County Court House. Residents can search for court records online using the case number, jail number or citation/police number. The Colorado Judicial Branch Website also contains records on criminal and civil cases that fall under the Aurora municipal counties. In addition, residents may view or obtain court records by visiting the courthouses where the case was heard. The Eighteenth Judicial District Court has two court locations in Arapahoe County. They are located at:

Arapahoe County Justice Center
7325 S. Potomac St.,
Centennial, CO 80112

The Arapahoe County Courthouse
1790 W. Littleton Blvd.,
Littleton, CO 80120

Other associated County Courts include the:

Douglas County Courthouse
4000 Justice Way Ste. 2009
Castle Rock, CO 80109

Adams County Justice Center
1100 Judicial Center Dr.
Brighton, CO 80601

Vital Records

Aurora vital records are processed at the county and state level. This includes birth certificates, death certificates, and records of domestic partnership. In line with the state laws, only authorized persons may receive certified copies of a report. Applicants may be restricted from obtaining certified records depending on their eligibility.

How to Obtain Divorce Records

Requests for recent divorce records can be made by contacting the clerk at the court where the decree was issued. Residents can search for records at any of the three locations covered under the Eighteenth Judicial District Court localities in both Douglas and Arapahoe County.

Arapahoe County Courthouse - Littleton
1790 West Littleton Blvd
Littleton, CO 80120
Tel: (303) 798-4591

Arapahoe County Justice Center
7325 S. Potomac Street
Centennial, CO 80112
Tel: (303) 649-6355

Douglas County Courthouse
4000 Justice Way St. 2009
Castle Rock, CO 80109
Tel: (720) 437-6200
Fax: (303) 688-1962

How to Obtain Marriage Records

Records for marriages that occurred before 1960 can be obtained from the Colorado State Archives. Records for marriages that occurred after 1975 can be obtained online, in-person or by mail from the county clerk & recorder in the country where the marriage took place. All requests should include a duly filled application form, a government-issued photo identification, and applicable fees.

Applications in Arapahoe County should be mailed to the:

Clerk and Recorder's Office
5334 S. Prince St.
Littleton, CO 80120

Applications in Douglas County should be mailed to the:

Douglas County Recording Department
301 Wilcox St
Castle Rock, CO 80104

Applications in Adams County should be mailed to:

Adams County Clerk and Recorder
4430 S. Adams County Pkwy
Brighton, CO 80601

How to Obtain Birth and Death Records

The Tri-County Health Dept Agency manages and provides birth and death record requests for authorized individuals in Aurora. These records can be obtained in person at the:

Administration Office
6162 S. Willow Drive
Suite 100
Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5114
Tel: (303) 220-9200

Castle Rock Office
410 South Wilcox St.
Castle Rock, CO 80104
Tel: (303) 663-7650
(303) 846-2002 (WIC appointment)

Commerce City Office
Adams County Service Center Building
4201 E. 72nd Ave. Suite D
Commerce City, CO 80022
Tel: (303) 288-6816

Mailed applications can be made by sending a completed application form to any of the addresses above with a check or money order, along with a photocopy of the requestor's ID. Fees are $20 for the first copy and $13 for each additional copy of the same death certificate if ordered at the same time. Expedited FedEx shipping (2-day) is available for mail orders for an additional $25.

Aurora

The City of Aurora provides a wide array of information to its citizens through various medium. This includes police records, court records, information about sex offenders and vital records among others. Some public information can be accessed online while others require the applicants to make requests physically. Overall, finding records in the city is slightly more difficult compared to other major cities. If certain records prove trickier to find, try using the resources offered on sites like StateRecords.org.