AURORA, Colo. — A former officer with the Auora Police Department resigned and is now charged with dealing a controlled substance while working in the capacity of a sworn officer, according to the warrant for his arrest.
The Aurora Police Department (APD) said it received a complaint on March 31 from a citizen who claimed Officer Josiah Coe gave her a controlled substance on March 4 while he was working an off-duty assignment.
> Video above: Independent teams to investigate incidents involving Aurora Police officers.
APD Chief Vanessa Wilson immediately asked Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a criminal investigation, according to the department. On Wednesday, she released a statement on Twitter regarding Coe.
"I want to assure the public that we will not tolerate anyone who dishonors the badge we wear," the tweet says. "I want to thank the person who came forward for having the bravery to report this misconduct."
Before CBI's investigation was completed, the department said Coe resigned on April 22 after, according to the warrant, he admitted to a sergeant that he "gave someone dope."
"Even though Officer Coe resigned prior to me being able to take any formal disciplinary action, I have instructed our Internal Affairs Bureau to continue and complete their investigation into these allegations so that it will be documented in his personnel file," Wilson added. "The file will note that he would have been TERMINATED if he had not resigned."
According to an arrest warrant, CBI began investigating in April when contacted by an APD commander, who said an officer was accused of illegally distributing methamphetamine while working in the capacity of an officer.
There was video corroborating the evidence, the warrant says.
According to the complaint, a woman reported that an officer gave her methamphetamine and a new pipe to smoke it, the warrant says. She described the officer by his physical description, but was unsure how she knew him and did not refer to him by name, the warrant says.
The woman said that she smoked a cigarette with the officer outside the hospital, where they had a conversation that included her talking about how she had to act as a prostitute to obtain money for drugs, the warrant says. She said she thought Coe might have been interested in her role in prostitution, but wasn't certain, the warrant says.
The officer then asked for her phone number and address, the warrant says, and got her shoes from a detox center.
Before she got in a cab she said the officer gave her a blue bandana that he took off another woman in the emergency room, which contained the pipe and $20 worth of meth, according to the warrant.
The officer then said the woman owed her a favor, but nothing bad, the warrant reads.
At one point, the woman contacted investigators and said she found a card that identified the officer as Coe, the warrant says.
Investigators viewed several different videos from the hospital, the warrant says they saw events that matched the description given by the woman and saw a security guard turning over a small package that contained meth, a pipe and other drug paraphernalia to Coe.
Per hospital policy, the warrant says the items were determined to be illegal and turned over to an APD officer, however, the affidavit says Coe never booked any suspected meth or glass pipe into evidence on March 4.
The officer's identity was confirmed as Coe by an APD commander who viewed the video, the warrant says. That commander then contacted CBI to begin the investigation.
Once the CBI investigation was complete, the findings were given to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office, who charged Coe with distribution of a controlled substance and official misconduct, APD said.
Coe appeared in court Wednesday morning and is free on bond. He's due back in court on June 7.
> Top stories from 9NEWS curated daily just for you! Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER right now to get can’t-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Investigations from 9Wants to Know