Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser on Wednesday announced the findings of his "patterns and practices" investigation into the Aurora Police Department and Aurora Fire And Rescue.
The 14-month long investigation found that the agencies routinely violate state and federal law through racist policing, illegal uses of force and administering ketamine. The 118-page report also found that Aurora police don't do a good job of tracking residents' complaints about specific police officers.
Both agencies will have to overhaul major practices as a result of the investigation.
Last year, Weiser announced that his office was investigating whether Aurora police and emergency personnel systematically deprive individuals of their constitutional rights under state or federal law. It's the first such probe carried out under a new police accountability law and was prompted by the 2019 death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain after police attempted to violently arrest him. Several other investigations specifically into the McClain case are ongoing.
McClain, a Black man, died in a hospital several days after officers put him in two chokeholds and paramedics administered ketamine, a powerful sedative. Earlier this month, a grand jury delivered a 32-count indictment against the involved officers and paramedics.
