Manager of Public Safety Accountability

Location: 15151 E Alameda Pkwy, Aurora, Colorado 80012-1555

About the City of Aurora

It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, as we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that guide their mission and vision. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service. We welcome all who share these values to apply.

Why Work for Aurora?

• Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
• Diverse community
• Competitive total compensation package
• Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
• Light rail station minutes away
• On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs
• Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
• Access to innovation workspaces

About the Role

The Public Safety Accountability Manager leads the City’s Public Safety Accountability Division and provides independent civilian oversight designed to strengthen transparency, accountability, public confidence, and continuous improvement across public safety services. This position monitors and reviews public safety functions, programs, operations, policies, accountability processes, investigations, critical incidents, and systemic trends, including matters involving police, fire, emergency communications, detention, sworn and non-sworn personnel, and other public safety agencies or activities.

The Manager serves as a trusted, objective, and impartial accountability leader who works with City Management, Public Safety Policy Committee, public safety departments, community members, oversight partners, and other stakeholders to ensure accountability processes are thorough, fair, transparent, and responsive to community needs.

Responsibilities

• Leads the Public Safety Accountability Division, including development of division goals, work plans, procedures, performance measures, reports, and operational priorities.
• Provides independent civilian oversight of designated public safety accountability matters, including complaints, administrative investigations, use of force matters, officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and other critical incidents involving sworn public safety personnel.
• Reviews and monitors complaint classification decisions, investigation processes, investigative findings, and discipline-related recommendations to evaluate thoroughness, fairness, objectivity, consistency, and compliance with applicable laws, policies, procedures, and accountability standards.
• Conducts or coordinates complaint intake, community referrals, and explanations of the accountability and investigative process to complainants, community members, and other stakeholders.
• Identifies case-specific and systemic issues through review of complaints, investigations, critical incidents, policy application, discipline outcomes, public safety data, and operational trends.
• Develops recommendations for improvements to policies, procedures, training, supervision, accountability systems, complaint processes, and public safety practices.
• Prepares written analyses, executive briefings, public reports, annual reports, statistical summaries, and trend analyses regarding accountability activities, while protecting confidential, privileged, and legally protected information.
• Responds to critical incidents involving death or serious bodily injury; obtains relevant and critical incident information, monitors associated city investigation, reviews, and issues findings in coordination with the release of related city reports.
• Develops and implements an annual accountability work plan based on risk assessment, complaint trends, public safety priorities, community concerns, and post–Consent Decree sustainability needs.
• Partners with public safety departments, legal counsel, City leadership, community stakeholders, and external oversight partners to support fair, consistent, and transparent accountability practices.
• Serves as a liaison between the city, community members, public safety departments, oversight bodies, and other stakeholders to build trust, promote transparency, and support constructive dialogue.
• Coordinates community outreach, education, and engagement related to public safety accountability processes, complaint systems, public reporting, and community trust.
• Reviews national best practices, legislative developments, accountability models, and emerging trends in civilian oversight, constitutional policing, procedural justice, and public safety accountability.
• Supervises assigned staff, including hiring, training, coaching, performance management, workload assignment, and professional development.
• Develops and administers assigned division budget, contracts, projects, records, and administrative functions.
• Reports known or suspected abuse, illegal acts, or related irregularities that may affect the city to the appropriate city authority.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Sociology, Organizational Leadership, or a closely related field.

Experience

Six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in civilian oversight, public safety accountability, administrative investigations, auditing, compliance, legal or policy analysis, civil rights, public administration, law enforcement oversight, or a closely related field, including three (3) years of supervisory, management, or program leadership experience.

Licenses and Certifications

• Valid Colorado Driver License with acceptable driving record at time of hire.
• Certification or training in civilian oversight, administrative investigations, mediation, auditing, compliance, or related professional discipline is preferred and may be required within a timeframe established by the City.

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of civilian oversight principles, accountability models, and public safety accountability practices.
• Advanced knowledge of administrative investigations, complaint review processes, investigative standards, and due process principles.
• Advanced knowledge of constitutional policing, procedural justice, bias-free policing, use of force review, critical incident review, and public safety operations.
• Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies related to public safety, confidentiality, public records, civil rights, employment matters, and administrative review.
• Advanced knowledge of policy analysis, program evaluation, auditing, data analysis, performance measurement, and continuous improvement practices.
• Knowledge in trauma-informed communication, victim or family support, or sensitive critical-incident communication.
• Advanced knowledge of community engagement, conflict resolution, stakeholder facilitation, and public trust-building strategies.
• Knowledge of budget administration, strategic planning, supervision, and public sector management.

Skills

• Advanced leadership, management, and organizational development skills.
• Advanced analytical, investigative review, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced written communication skills, including preparation of technical reports, public reports, recommendations, and executive summaries.
• Advanced verbal communication, public speaking, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Advanced interpersonal, conflict resolution, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Advanced skill in interpreting complex laws, policies, procedures, investigation records, data, and accountability practices.
• Advanced skill in maintaining neutrality, credibility, confidentiality, and sound professional judgment in highly sensitive matters.
• Advanced skill in using office technology, data systems, reporting tools, and common business software.

Abilities

• Ability to lead an independent accountability function with objectivity, impartiality, professionalism, and integrity.
• Ability to establish and maintain credibility with executive leadership, elected officials, public safety personnel, labor representatives, community members, complainants, advocacy groups, and external partners.
• Ability to review complex investigations and determine whether they are thorough, fair, objective, complete, and consistent with applicable standards.
• Ability to identify patterns, trends, systemic concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to communicate sensitive, complex, or controversial information clearly, tactfully, and transparently.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle legally protected information.
• Ability to build trust with diverse communities and support constructive dialogue between the community and public safety agencies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, projects, and stakeholder expectations.
• Ability to supervise professional staff and manage division operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or Juris Doctorate in Public Administration, Criminal Justice, Public Policy, Law, Organizational Leadership, Sociology, or a related field.
• Experience working in or with a civilian oversight office, inspector general function, police accountability office, independent monitor, auditor, ombuds, compliance office, or similar accountability function.
• Experience with consent decrees, constitutional policing, civil rights compliance, public safety reform, or federal/state monitoring.
• Experience preparing public reports, annual reports, policy recommendations, audit findings, or executive-level accountability briefings.
• Training or certification through a recognized civilian oversight, investigations, mediation, auditing, compliance, or public sector accountability organization.
• Experience working with diverse communities and facilitating conversations involving sensitive public safety, equity, trust, or accountability issues.
• Bilingual or multilingual communication skills.

Working Conditions

• Essential Personnel: When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by the City, all City of Aurora employees may be required to work as essential personnel.
• Physical Demands: Sedentary physical work that involves moving no more than 10 pounds at a time. Frequent sitting, reading, writing, computer use, and verbal communication. Occasional walking, standing, reaching, bending, and travel between City facilities, public safety, and other locations.

Pay

The hiring range for this position is $130,000 - $160,000 annually. The full salary range for this position is $112,800 - $176,250 annually.