Interim chief named for Fort Collins Police Services

The interim chief of Fort Collins police will be new to Fort Collins, but he is no stranger to Colorado. 

Retired Aurora Police Deputy Chief Terry Jones has been conditionally offered the job, City Manager Darin Atteberry announced in a letter sent to the department Thursday night. The agreement is expected to be finalized Monday, pending final test results and the completion of paperwork.

Jones he will become Fort Collins' acting chief of police May 13, the day after Chief John Hutto's planned May 12 resignation.

Jones, 62, spent 35 years with the Aurora Police Department, twice serving as interim police chief. He was active in the 800-person agency's response to the July 20, 2012 Aurora theater shooting that left 12 people dead and scores of moviegoers injured. Jones also coordinated Aurora's role in managing evacuees from Hurricane Katrina, and he was active in orchestrating operations for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. 

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"Chief Jones navigated these major incidents and the media with a professional approach," Atteberry wrote in the department letter. "... His former colleagues have applauded his work with unions and civil service commissions and affirm that he is fair when it comes to disciplinary matters while also being an extraordinary mentor and leader."

Hutto in April announced he would step away from the agency as of May 12, ending his five-year tenure with FCPS.

That news was followed with the release of a report alleging Hutto and other agency heads lost the trust of line-level officers, as communication breakdowns led to fracturing inside the department. 

"I know that this has been a challenging time for the department, and I am encouraged by where we are headed and how Chief Jones will help us continue the progress," Atteberry wrote. 

More:Report: Fort Collins police chief lost officers' trust

During his 35-years with the Aurora Police Department, Jones rose from a recruit to patrol officer, drug investigator, traffic sergeant, patrol watch commander and director of the Metro Gang Task Force — he also served as a public information officer. Jones became a division chief in 1995 and twice served as the acting police chief before retiring from that role and the APD in April 2015.   

Jones received his bachelor's degree in business administration and psychology in 1996 from Columbia College in Aurora. Prior to that, he graduated from the FBI National Academy and the Drug Enforcement Administration's Drug Unit Commanders College, according to his resume. 

Born on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, Jones immigrated to the U.S. in 1957 after living in Ireland. He grew up in north Denver and became a U.S. citizen in 1972. He is married and has four children.

More:Timeline: Hutto's tenure as Fort Collins police chief

The local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, among the driving forces calling for changes within FCPS in recent months, was involved in the interview process for interim chief candidates. 

"Terry Jones stood out as not only a very capable candidate with a career rich in valuable experience and proven leadership, but also as the ideal leader to rally our department, engage our community and guide police services through this critical period," the group said in a statement to the Coloradoan Friday. 

Atteberry interviewed three candidates for the position. He said the interim chief would not be a candidate for the full-time position. A national search for a new chief is likely to take four to seven months as part of an extensive process that would include community forums and interview panels. 

The next chief will be expected to be a leader and relationship-builder on many levels, Atteberry said. That would include working with the community, the City Council, the executive team within the police department as well as line officers and the FOP.

Reporter Jason Pohl covers law enforcement for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason.