(Jan. 22, 2025) – The Aurora Police Department and its partner agencies with the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network released Wednesday statistics from its 2024 investigations.
The Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network, better known as RAVEN, is a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of investigators, detectives, special agents, analysts, forensic auditors, laboratory personnel and researchers from 16 local, state and federal partner agencies. Established in 2018 and funded by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, RAVEN’s mission is to identify and investigate violent criminals, gangs and drug traffickers in the Denver metro area.
“Our work with the RAVEN task force highlights the critical role collaboration plays in keeping our communities safe,” said Merideth McGrath, Deputy Executive Director of Community Operations for the Colorado Department of Corrections and RAVEN Executive Board Member. “By addressing violent crime at its core, we promote accountability while fostering safer, more stable environments for all Coloradans. Through participating in initiatives like the RAVEN task force, the Colorado Department of Corrections remains committed to proactive, meaningful collaborations with interventions that improve community safety.”
In 2024, RAVEN investigators launched 61 new investigations in addition to furthering 74 ongoing investigations from prior years. Those investigations resulted in the arrests of 127 violent offenders who face a variety of felony charges including homicide or attempted homicide, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon by a previous offender and other weapons charges.
All the cases filed in 2024 are actively moving through the judicial process. Depending on the type of investigation and pattern of criminal activity, cases from RAVEN investigations can be filed in Colorado’s district courts or referred to the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution in federal court.
“The joint efforts of RAVEN are producing data-driven prosecutions that matter to our communities,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “The District of Colorado is proud to work with our local and federal partners to continue these efforts to keep our citizens safe.”
The task force seized 151 firearms last year, including 114 handguns, 34 rifles and three automatic machine guns. Investigators also confiscated 10 explosive devices and 23 auto sears, or switches. An auto sear is a device that converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon.
“ATF Denver Field Division leverages a considerable amount of Crime Gun Intelligence resources through the RAVEN task force enhancing our local, state and federal partners ability to collaborate and combat violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “These statistics showcase the power of partnerships in removing dangerous criminals and their networks from our streets.”
The task force also confiscated and removed from the community almost 100 pounds of illicit narcotics, including more than 12 kilograms of cocaine, nearly 32 pounds of bulk marijuana, more than three pounds of methamphetamine, over 28 pounds of powdered fentanyl and more than 25,500 fentanyl pills, or approximately five and one-half pounds.
“These accomplishments demonstrate the value of agencies pooling resources and expertise to make the greatest impact on public safety through a focus on those individuals and groups causing the most harm in our communities,” said Denver Chief of Police Ron Thomas.
About the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network
The Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network, also known as RAVEN, is a regional task force led by the Aurora Police Department. It is comprised of law enforcement partners from the Denver, Arvada, Thornton and Lakewood police departments, the Arapahoe County, Adams County, Douglas County and Jefferson County sheriff’s offices, the Arapahoe and Denver district attorney’s offices, the Colorado Department of Corrections, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Joe Moylan
Public Information Officer
720.432.5095
PLEASE NOTE: Due to active prosecutions in U.S. and Colorado state courts, photos from RAVEN's 2024 investigations are not available at this time. The photos in the below document container represent examples of firearms seized during past RAVEN investigations that have already gone through the court process.