Aurora – An Aurora police officer was fired from the force Friday after he barricaded himself inside his house in March for nearly four hours before being ousted by police.
Ronald Kuntz, 52, who was with Aurora police for 24 years, had been on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.
“As of 5 p.m. (Friday), agent Kuntz is no longer a commissioned police officer with the city of Aurora,” city attorney Charlie Rich ardson said.
Richardson wouldn’t discuss the details of an agreement, which was worked out with Kuntz’s attorney, Marc Colin, and the city attorney’s office.
Colin didn’t return phone calls Friday, and Kuntz hung up when contacted by The Post.
On March 9, police were called to Kuntz’s home in the 18000 block of East Mansfield Drive on a tip from a health-care worker that Kuntz was suicidal and homicidal.
He was dealing with personal and professional problems and had threatened his ex-wife and the Police Department, according to the department.
Kuntz had been demoted from sergeant to agent the week before and had recently been divorced from his wife, who is a city employee.
Kuntz was demoted after an October incident at a bank in Aurora, where he allegedly pretended to urinate in a clothing bin.
A videotape of Kuntz’s standoff with the SWAT team showed he was asked to leave his house 32 times, and officers issued 10 lawful orders for him to come out before he surrendered.
Police had evacuated four homes near Kuntz’s residence during the nearly four-hour standoff.
Kuntz was not arrested or charged after the standoff.
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer may be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
