Aurora – City staff are interviewing nine semifinalists for the police chief job and expect to have three finalists by next week.
Four applicants are from the metro area, including two from Aurora’s Police Department – interim Chief Terry Jones, 51, and investigative Division Chief Kenneth Murphy, 44.
The five other semifinalists are from cities throughout the nation, according to Deputy City Manager Frank Ragan. The list has been whittled down from the 36 original job seekers.
Finalists will be brought in for interviews with community panels and the City Council.
The council is expected to select a chief by the end of September.
The selection process pits two friends against each other – Jones and Murphy.
No matter, Murphy said. He would gladly work under Jones as permanent chief, and vice versa.
Murphy has been with Aurora’s Police Department for 22 years. Jones has been with the department 26 years.
“My hopes and aspirations are to eventually be the chief,” Murphy said. “It would be an honor to represent the hard-working and dedicated, loyal people of the Police Department.”
Jones said he wants to continue what he started when he took over the position of interim chief in March.
“I like the momentum and direction that the Police Department is going,” he said. “We have made improvements. And we are still working on a variety of issues, one of which is the image of the agency.”
The position opened when Chief Ricky Bennett stepped down after the Brent J. Brents scandal, in which the department was blamed for not arresting the rapist in a timely manner.
There have been other criticisms involving questionable conduct by a few officers and police shootings.
The Police Department is the largest city agency and is required to have two officers for every 1,000 residents.
That program has been underfunded and is necessitating a November ballot question on raising the mill levy.
The department also is exploring a use-of-force board that would allow citizens to judge whether police acted by the book and whether changes need to be made in policy and training.
“There are a lot of things going on in the agency, new proposals, dealing with community members and activists,” Jones said. “We’re in the middle of the accreditation process, and we’re under serious budget matters. This is a very challenging period of time.”
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer can be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
