2023 Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD) Chief of Police Search Process

Below is detailed information on the full process undertaken to find and select the next Chief of Police for the Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD)

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Michael Phibbs resigned his position as Chief of the ACPD in January to accept a new leadership role with the Colorado Department of Revenue. Commander Jason Mollendor stepped into the role of Interim Chief at that time.

AHEC retained Dr. Kimberly Miller to conduct a nationwide search for a new Chief of Police. AHEC also retained LMNG Innovation to assist with community engagement. As part of the process of drafting a chief of police advertisement, the two consultants assisted AHEC with conducting an on-line survey and a public listening tour to identify what leadership qualities the community deemed essential in the next Chief. AHEC also relied heavily on the Community Influenced Public Safety Project that was performed on the Auraria Campus in 2022.  

The on-line survey went live on March 2, 2023, and nine listening tour meetings (in-person and virtual) were conducted the week of March 13. Based on data generated by the 2022 Safety Project, survey, and listening tour, AHEC worked with Dr. Miller to prepare a draft Chief of Police advertisement and sought feedback from the Auraria Executives’ Council. The final advertisement was posted on April 14, 2023.

The job posting was listed on NEOGOV and nationally with such organizations as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), International Association of Women in Police (IAWP), Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), National Association of Asian American Law Enforcement Commanders (NAAALEC), National Asian Police Officers Association (NAPOA), and National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA). The application deadline was May 15, 2023.

In June 2023, a multi-institutional panel was formed to review applications and interview candidates. The interviews were conducted the week of July 10, 2023, and the panel unanimously selected two final candidates.

The finalists were scheduled to participate in a townhall with members of the AHEC community, Aug. 16. However, on the morning of the townhall, the second candidate pulled their name from consideration, leaving Mollendor as the final candidate for the position. Mollendor partitipated in the townhall as scheduled.