Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Local News

Commission assailed on police promotions

Blacks say panel missing chance to fix system

Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 25, 2007 at midnight

Text size  

More Local News

More stories »

AURORA - They arrived at the meeting hopeful.

They left upset.

Leaders of Aurora's black community said the city's Civil Service Commission passed up an opportunity Tuesday to fix a broken system of promoting officers.

"I'll tell you, I think the commission is trying to avoid accountability, and that's unfortunate," the Rev. Thomas Mayes said.

Mayes' remark came after he and another black pastor spoke to the commission Tuesday, demanding changes after the promotion of an officer accused of assaulting a disabled black woman and yelling a racial slur at her.

Police Chief Daniel Oates said he was required to promote Charles DeShazer to lieutenant because he scored the highest on an evaluation over which the chief has no control.

The commission took public comment Tuesday on a proposal to give the chief more substantive input in the promotions process.

The pastors supported the proposal, saying that if the chief is to be held accountable for his department, he should have some power over who he puts in charge. But commission members appeared to side with the police union, which opposes the change.

"We submit to you that placing the chief or his designee on an assessment panel is tantamount to giving him a seat on the commission during a disciplinary hearing," said Don James, president of the Aurora Police Association. "The chief or his designee will most likely already have an opinion of the candidates and where the candidates should finish in the process."

Commission chairman Richard Brown said after the meeting that there may be some things the commission can change about the promotions process. But he said the commission ultimately isn't responsible for who gets promoted, since the test includes a review of an officer's performance.

"I don't really believe the accountability lies here," Brown said.

Brown also defended DeShazer's promotion. "I have no problem with that until he his convicted of something," he said. "You're innocent until proven guilty. We can't base our decisions on what someone else's perceptions are."

Loree McCormick-Rice said that on June 17, DeShazer questioned her about parking in a handicapped spot, even though she had the proper vehicle hangtag.

DeShazer, who is white, was in his police uniform but was working security for King Soopers while off-duty. A surveillance video shows the woman and her daughter struggling with DeShazer and other officers.

In January, a review board of four Aurora police officers and four civilians determined that DeShazer's use of force was appropriate. McCormick-Rice, who declined to testify before the review board, filed a federal lawsuit against DeShazer in February.

Mayes is submitting a letter on behalf of the NAACP, demanding change in the promotions system.