AURORA, Colo. -- The logo for the city of Aurora says it’s the safest largest city in Colorado, and city officials want to keep it that way.
Aurora is the 54th largest city and America with a population of over 361,000. The constant growth of the city straining officers as well as those who work in the 911 communications center.
The population has grown by 11 percent since 2010, and 911 calls are growing by 8 percent every year.
The city typically requires that there are two officers for every 1,000 citizens, and that is a ratio that department is struggling to maintain.
To meet the growing population, the city hired the Novak Consulting Group to provide staffing recommendations through a study. On Wednesday, the group met the with the city’s Public Safety Committee to discuss their findings. Overall, the group recommended the department add 23 patrol officers, 29 investigators and increase shifts to 12 hours.
Michelle Wolfe is the Deputy City Manager for Aurora Public Safety, and she says this study is vital to public safety of the city.
“When you talk to our council, more importantly our community, public safety is a top priority, and we are proud to be the safest largest city in Colorado, and we want to stay like that and improve,” said Wolfe.
The group has made 55 recommendations to the city, and many of them will be discussed during an upcoming meeting set in October.
The consulting study is costing the city just over $130 thousand.
