After leading the Aurora Police Department and serving the community for more than a year, Chief Art Acevedo has decided to return to Texas to be with his family. Acevedo was named to the position on Dec. 5, 2022, and his last day will be Jan. 22.
“Since day one, Chief Acevedo has carried out this role with the vision, purpose and conviction of a permanent chief,” said Aurora City Manager Jason Batchelor. “He brought passion and unparalleled experience and knowledge to his work every day. I am confident in the direction he has set for the agency and its leadership.”
“This was a difficult decision to make,” Acevedo said. “I am grateful for the unwavering dedication of the exceptional men and women of the Aurora Police Department. Serving as Chief of Police alongside the current leadership team has been an honor. Together, we have achieved significant progress in this remarkable, diverse and welcoming community. I carry with me immense pride in the positive impact we have had. Aurora will forever remain a part of me.”
Acevedo has championed the professionalism of the men and women of the agency, ushered in best practices, and focused on accountability. His focus on relational policing has strengthened valuable connections between officers and the community to foster trust and support in the department. His strategic crime-fighting approach has contributed to notable decreases in crime across the city including all violent crime, motor vehicle theft and residential burglaries among other categories.
During Acevedo’s tenure, the agency has made significant progress on provisions of the Consent Decree. He was instrumental in streamlining APD’s recruitment and hiring processes, resulting in dramatic increases in academy classes.
Interim Deputy Chief Heather Morris will be appointed as APD’s Interim Chief of Police on Jan. 22, 2024. Chief Morris helped establish the department's current leadership team and has had significant involvement in the department’s demonstrated successes over the past year. She will provide continuity and stability for the agency and continue to focus on furthering the city’s ongoing public safety goals, employee retention, recruitment of high-caliber talent and crime reduction strategies.
City officials will discuss the next steps for identifying a new permanent police chief in the coming weeks and do not have any other details to share at this time.