By Saja Hindi
The Denver Post
AURORA, Colo. — The Aurora Police Department’s former chief Vanessa Wilson has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging her firing was discriminatory and retaliatory for implementing anti-racism reforms.
Wilson’s employment was terminated in April 2022, and her attorneys notified the city in November of her intent to sue. On Friday, her team submitted a 35-page complaint in the U.S. District Court for Colorado, detailing accusations that former City Manager Jim Twombly fired Wilson “because of her association with and advocacy on behalf of individuals of color, and in retaliation for, and in anticipation of, Chief Wilson engaging in protected activities.” The complaint alleges a violation of her civil rights and wrongful termination in violation of state public policy.
The lawsuit claims that Wilson’s firing was the result of pressure from conservative council members Danielle Jurinsky, Dustin Zvonek and Steve Sundberg, and police officers who didn’t like the changes she was making, including abiding by the Attorney General’s consent decree. The Aurora Police Department agreed to a court-monitored five-year plan to implement changes related to use of force and addressing bias within the agency after an investigation into the 2019 death of Elijah McClain.
Ryan Luby, a spokesperson for Aurora, said the city hasn’t yet reviewed the claims and can’t comment on the lawsuit. In a written statement in response to the lawsuit notice in November 2022, city officials denied the allegations that the city manager fired Wilson for her community involvement, but because she didn’t similarly prioritize internal operations and a positive culture within the police department. The statement also noted that the city had supported Wilson’s decisions during her time as chief and remains committed to the consent decree.
In the lawsuit, Wilson said she was forced out of the agency after working there for 25 years, including as the first woman police chief, after holding officers accountable in multiple high-profile incidents. She also attributed the firing to her involvement with Aurora’s diverse communities and participation in Black Lives Matter protests, and actions to eradicate racism from the APD (including her efforts to diversify the department, and to eliminate racist officers from the ranks).
She also said she was prevented from keeping her badges after she left the agency, which the city has allowed others to do, and she couldn’t get a Law Enforcement Officer Safety card, allowing her to carry a concealed weapon.
Wilson is asking for an unspecified amount of damages, including attorney fees and other compensatory damages.
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