Firefighters, cops fight plan

Unions urge defeat of ballot measure to shift hiring decisions

Javier Erik Olvera, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 14, 2006 at midnight

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AURORA - Firefighters and police are teaming up to fight a ballot measure that would take hiring for their departments away from an independent commission and give it to the city's human resources office.

They argue that the Civil Service Commission now thoroughly screens each application and that the shift could make it possible for unqualified people to be hired by the city.

The Aurora Fire Fighters Protective Association this week unanimously decided to spend up to $300,000 of its own money on a campaign to fight the measure.

The Aurora Police Association made a similar decision, but union leaders couldn't be reached Wednesday and it's unknown exactly how much money they plan to funnel into the effort.

Randy Rester, president of the 275-member fire association, said that union leaders tried "every way in the world . . . to get this taken care of" with the city but were unsuccessful.

The campaign will encourage the city's voters in November to shoot down the measure the city says will make it easier to recruit candidates.

The measure comes as police struggle to meet a court mandate that they employ two police officers for every 1,000 people in the growing city of 300,000 residents.

If voters approve the ballot issue, city leaders would work with police and fire unions on hiring practices that would be pursued.

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