AURORA –The officer responsible for killing an unarmed man Friday has still not been interviewed, Aurora police said Wednesday.
Now, the department is bracing for a wave of protests over the killing of 37-year-old Naeschylus Vinzant.
In a 30-minute interview with 9NEWS, APD's new chief, Nick Metz, called the killing a tragedy
"I think anytime someone loses a life, it's a tragedy," Metz said.
He added transparency is crucial to leading the community and the rank and file. Issues will be faced head-on.
"The one thing I never want to do here is when we have an issue is circling the wagons, just hunkering down and not addressing concerns," Metz said. "We're going to be right out there."
Before coming to Aurora, Metz spent 31 years with the Seattle Police Department. In 2012, federal investigators found Seattle Police officers showed evidence of biased policing and used excessive force. After the Vinzant shooting, Metz told press he wanted a full review of APD policies.
"I think that's standard in any administration to make sure we have those things in place that keeps us from getting into trouble," Metz said.
In his first weeks Metz says little will change on the surface, adding that he's waiting to learn more before any new policies take effect.
"I made a promise that I was not going to come in here with preconceived notions," Metz said.
Metz calls the opportunity to lead a department a lifelong dream. Today, one of his major challenges will be building a more diverse agency.
"One of the mandates that was given to me was when I got this job was to really improve on the recruitment and hiring of diverse officers," Metz said.
Working on a day-to-day basis with minority groups is important to effective policing, he said, adding that a crisis is the wrong time to build a relationship.
He wants members of the community know their patrol officers personally.
(KUSA-TV © 2015 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)
