By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
The City of Aurora is seeing a significant drop in crime in 2025, a shift that many attribute to the leadership of Police Chief Todd Chamberlain. Since his appointment on September 9, 2024, Chamberlain has implemented a series of reforms aimed at targeting violent crime and increasing public trust.
Property crimes have fallen by 25% year-to-date as of May 18, according to an announcement on the Aurora Police Department’s X account.
📉Property Crime is Down in Aurora📉
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) May 25, 2025
A couple weeks ago, we highlighted how Total, Property and Persons crimes are all down compared to this time last year. Today, let's take a closer look at Property Crime, which overall is down a whopping 25% year-to-date.
As of May 18,… pic.twitter.com/g2o3qqInoB
The drop includes a 38.5% reduction in motor vehicle theft, 31% in burglary and nearly 16% in larceny. Monthly crime data from the Aurora Transparency Portal shows an average of 871 incidents per month in 2025, down from 1,260 during the same period in 2024.
The latest data suggests crime is falling not just in Aurora, but nationwide. The Major Cities Chiefs Association found a 14% drop in violent crime across 68 cities in early 2025, including a 36% drop in homicides.
In Colorado, state data showed a 36% decrease in car thefts between 2023 and 2024, and the numbers for 2025 are continuing in that direction.
Strategies behind the numbers
Chamberlain’s crime-fighting strategy centers on six key areas.
He’s embraced data-driven policing, using the Transparency Portal to identify patterns and hotspots. “I want to have statistics to evidence-based approaches,” Chamberlain told CBS Colorado in September.
He reassigned officers from specialized units to street patrol and brought in civilians for administrative duties. “Our primary mission is to fight crime. That is it, and that’s what I am focused on,” he told Sentinel Colorado in April.
Chamberlain also worked with federal agencies to confront the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The operation led to 16 arrests by December.
To build trust with immigrants and other underserved residents, he organized community meetings. As he told CNN, “There is no place in this city where somebody should be victimized or mistreated based upon their documentation status.”
He expanded the city’s Standing Against Violence Every Day (SAVE) initiative, which mentors youth to reduce gun violence before it starts.
He also introduced new pursuit protocols and surveillance tech, while linking officer wellness to public safety outcomes.
Gang crackdown ramps up
In addition to confronting Tren de Aragua, Chamberlain expanded the department’s gang intelligence unit to monitor more than two dozen gangs active in the city. Using new mapping tools and interagency task forces, police launched coordinated operations targeting drug and gun networks.
In January, The Denver Post reported that targeted operations led to the arrest of mid-level gang leaders.
Chamberlain didn’t stop at enforcement. He also prioritized youth outreach by working with schools and nonprofits to keep teens out of gangs through job training and mentoring.
Pursuit policy revamp
One of Chamberlain’s most controversial changes took effect in March: a new vehicle pursuit policy. The department had previously discouraged nearly all pursuits. Under the new rules, officers may chase a suspect if:
- The person has committed or is committing a felony and poses a serious risk to public safety
- The person is involved in a firearm-related offense
- The driver is intoxicated
- The vehicle has been confirmed stolen
In a March Aurora police update, Chamberlain described why the change was necessary:
“Over the past several years, the Aurora Police Department has not engaged in pursuits of stolen vehicles, despite auto theft being a felony offense. This has created a reality where offenders believe they can victimize our community with no consequence. This is unacceptable. Public safety demands a balanced approach…”
He emphasized that the policy allows for measured discretion, not reckless chases. “We will not allow crime to dictate the safety of our city, and we will continue to take decisive action to protect those who live, work and visit here.”
KDVR reported that 47 pursuits occurred in the first three months of the new policy. Of those, 38 involved stolen vehicles, 43 arrests were made, and 37 of those arrested were on probation, parole, or had active warrants. Officers also seized 11 firearms—six real and five replicas.
Division Chief Phillip Rathbun told KDVR, “Folks out committing motor vehicle theft and eluding officers are not simply out there to joyride. They are using it as a cover of anonymity to commit other crimes in the community.”
Support grows, but challenges remain
Mayor Mike Coffman has publicly supported Chamberlain’s tough-on-crime approach, stating in December, “Today’s swift and decisive action… demonstrates precisely why we brought the chief here.”
Chamberlain’s first eight months have produced measurable results. Community advocates interviewed by CNN praised the progress but said sustained support for youth programs and neighborhood trust-building is essential, especially with over two dozen gangs still operating in the area.
Residents can monitor trends via the city’s Transparency Portal, which updates weekly.