In the latest episode of the COPS Office podcast series, The Beat, Aurora, Colorado, police chief Arturo Acevedo discusses contemporary issues in policing and his outlook on leading change. Join us for Acevedo’s insights gained from an uncompromising career where relentlessly calling balls and strikes has come to define his approach to public service.

Born in Havana, Cuba, where his father was a police officer, Acevedo was appointed chief to the sunny and picturesque Denver suburb of Aurora in 2022. That year, the city saw 50 murders. Aurora was the site of the 1999 Columbine Massacre, the 2012 Aurora movie theatre shooting, and the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, who died from complications of being administered ketamine while forcibly restrained.

This history, and Aurora’s higher-than-average levels of violent and property crime combine with residents’ progressive views about the type of law enforcement they want and the advancements that are needed to make Acevedo the perfect match for the job. He brings with him approximately 20 years of experience from the California Highway Patrol where he rose to the rank of chief, as well as experience holding the top jobs in Austin, Houston, and Miami.

As chief of the Austin (Texas) Police Department in 2016, Acevedo was secretly recorded by a staff member during a leadership meeting following the violent arrest of a teacher and the police-involved shooting death of an unarmed and naked teen who was captured on body-worn camera running toward the responding officer. In the recording, an emotional Acevedo demands increased departmental accountability: “If your heart isn’t in this job, either step down or step out.”

The staff member released the recording to a local newspaper, expecting a negative reaction. The result was the exact opposite—the beliefs he conveyed were exactly what many members of the community wanted to hear. During an interview with a local TV news station following release of the recording, Acevedo said, “I think it confirms to this community that I walk the talk whether the light's on or the light's turned off, whether it's outside in public or behind closed doors.”

This is the man who is now at the helm in Aurora. We’ll hear from him on the latest episode of The Beat.

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