Aurora officials say major crimes in the city are dropping as prevention programs make progress
Aurora, for some, has the reputation of being a violent community, but it's actually seen crime decrease for two years now, and community leaders say that should wake people up.
"Let's change the narrative about the City of Aurora. [The] City of Aurora is not running rampant crime all over the place. No, that's not taking place," said Omar Montgomery, the President of the Aurora Unit of the NAACP.
He says things are looking up for the city.
"I am a taxpayer in the City of Aurora. I see what the school districts are doing. I see what the nonprofits are doing," said Montgomery.
He says one of the things that is looking up is crime rates, which are actually down for the second quarter in a row.
According to the Aurora Police Department, homicides are down 26%, non-fatal shootings are down 50%, motor vehicle theft is down 42% and overall major crime is down 25%. They say more than 3,000 fewer people are becoming victims of crime in the city.
Back in May of 2025, Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said it's part of a two-year trend. But he says what's really expedited the process is the shift in focus from responding to crime to preventing it.
"We are really using data as not just a speculative version of what's going on, but on the reality of what's going on. And that data, in turn, is making sure that we are going at the right place at the right time, focusing on the right people and the right events," said Chaimberlian.
He says they have a three-point strategy in place:
- Near-term: This focuses on proactive policing, targeting individuals who are causing problems in the community.
- Mid-term: This centers on place-based strategies, concentrating on problematic locations that require sustained attention to ensure they receive the appropriate resources and response.
- Long-term: This involves intervention and prevention efforts to address the root causes of crime and build long-lasting solutions.
Montgomery says he appreciates the work Aurora Police have done.
"Any of our officers that put their lives on the line to protect the city, we just want to say thank you," said Montgomery.
But he doesn't want Coloradans to overlook the work others are doing. The city's school districts have both implemented programs to end youth violence, and nonprofits are promoting peace and opportunity for people in the city.
"Let's also begin to think about those violence interrupters that are doing amazing work to make sure there's no retaliation when there's gang violence and giving our youth other things to do other than going out and maybe committing the crime when opportunity presents," said Montgomery.
APD has also worked with the community to grow cooperative programs to keep residents and neighborhoods safe. Montgomery says he thinks even more of that will make Aurora a model community.
"If we can bridge that gap between those who are the most critical of our public safety organizations and public safety organizations engaging those who are most critical. The reason why they're critical is because there are some problems we have to address. We just can't sweep it under the rug and say, well, that's policing," said Montgomery.
