AURORA — Apart from some good-natured ribbing about changing his NFL allegiance from the Seahawks to the Broncos, Nick Metz, a former assistant chief for the Seattle Police Department, was confirmed Monday night as Aurora’s new police chief.
“My personal motto is to fight crime, reduce the fear of crime and build strong community partnerships through respectful police service,” Metz said shortly after being confirmed by a 10-0 vote from the Aurora City Council. Councilwoman Molly Markert was absent from the meeting.
“One of the things that attracted me to Aurora was how much respect people of all backgrounds here have for the department. That says a lot about it, but we have to retain that level of respect.”
Metz, 52, who beat out three other finalists, said he plans to start his new job the first week of March.
In welcoming Metz to the city, Mayor Steve Hogan said he was recently in Washington, D.C., for a conference of mayors when he was approached by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.
“He said he specifically sought me out to tell me what a great guy you are — I think that’s significant,” Hogan said. “I think this is a great moment for the city.”
The only semblance of tension came when Councilwoman Barbara Cleland remarked that City Manager Skip Noe didn’t present Metz’s contract to the entire council until earlier Monday evening.
“I don’t want this to be about Chief Metz,” Cleland said. “I just wish the city manager had shown more thoughtfulness to it, to us before tonight.”
Another council member, Marsha Berzins quickly added, “Chief Metz, the problems we’re having have nothing to do with you.”
Hogan has called for a in an attempt to iron out differences between Noe and a majority of female members of the City Council.
Anthony Cotton: 303-954-1292, acotton@denverpost.com or twitter.com/anthonycottondp
