By Eli Imadali
The Aurora police officer who mocked his department's diversity efforts was fired Thursday.
Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson terminated Officer Douglas Wilkinson after an independent investigation by the City of Aurora's human resources department found he violated the city's anti-harassment policy and the department's directive on discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment.
Wilkinson, the former president of the Aurora Police Association, emailed 235 department employees on Nov. 16, the department said in a statement. He called recent diversity initiatives sexist and racist toward white men.
Five employees complained about Wilkinson's email, according to Aurora police, which prompted the investigation. Wilkinson was on administrative leave since November.
The diversity efforts Wilkinson mocked were outlined in the consent decree between the city of Aurora and the Colorado Attorney General's Office. The goal of the agreement is to outline reforms the city's police and fire departments.
Changes include improving the police department's use-of-force policies, training on racial biases, and hiring police officers and firefighters to more accurately reflect Aurora's racial and ethnic make-up.
The decree was the result of a 14-month investigation by the state attorney general's office, spurred by public outrage after the 2019 death of Elijah McClain. The investigation found patterns and practices of racist policing and illegal use of excessive force, among other issues, in Aurora.
CPR News attempted to reach both the Aurora Police Association and the Aurora Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 49, the union representing the majority of Aurora police officers, but neither were immediately reached for comment.
Wilkinson was hired by the Aurora Police Department in 2002. He says he will appeal his termination, the Aurora Sentinel reports.
