Aurora, Colorado, is a suburb of Denver with major city problems. The migrant gang Tren de Aragua has moved here, taking over apartments and engaging in gunfights. Business owners complain that shoplifting has skyrocketed, forcing them to fork out money for private security.
Now the city of 390,000 must pay — increasing the budget for the Aurora Police Department by $10 million next year to hire more officers as it tackles crime spilling over from the neighboring city of Denver.
Aurora has allocated 30% of next year’s budget to law enforcement, totaling more than $165 million, according to city officials.
“At this time we do not have the full complement of officers,” said Chief Todd Chamberlain of the Aurora Police Department told CBS New York. “Our patrol is affected by understaffing issues.”
Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuelan prisons and has sunk its claws into cities across the US, unleashing murder, weapons, drugs and human trafficking. At least a hundred criminal investigations have been conducted into the case in recent months.
But it’s not just Tren de Argua. One business owner said he had to hire private security guards to combat shoplifting because police rarely come when called.
Doug McMurrain, owner of the La Plaza store, said he deals with crime every day.
“I carry a gun, multiple guns, and I’ve never had to carry a gun in my life,” he told CBS Denver.
He said the money will be well spent if it means police will respond better when he calls.
Fed-up city officials are also considering possible lawsuits against Denver, the state of Colorado and Democrat Gov. Jared Polis over legislative policies that allow migrants to flow in unchecked and prevent local governments from helping federal officials combat migrant crimes.
Six Colorado counties have already filed such a lawsuit against Polis and the state.
