Aurora Spends Millions on Private Apartment Security

The city paid over $1.7 million to guard two shuttered apartment complexes between 2024 and 2026.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing a heavy steel padlock on a chain link gate, evoking city-funded property security. — The City of Aurora spent over $1.7 million on private security to monitor two shuttered apartment complexes between 2024 and 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local governments use taxpayer funds to secure vacant private properties?

Between December 2024 and August 2026, the City of Aurora spent more than $1.7 million on private security for closed apartment complexes. The city hired Denver Metro Security to monitor the properties on Nome Street and Dallas Street to free up police resources.

Why it matters

Aurora officials initiated the security contracts to ensure that local police officers remained available for patrol duties and emergency calls elsewhere in the city. The expenditure reflects the high costs of maintaining city-ordered closures at multi-unit residential sites.

The Colorado State Patrol is currently conducting a review into the business practices of Denver Metro Security. The city has already finalized the security contracts and released liens on the properties involved.

The players

Denver Metro Security

This private security firm was hired by the City of Aurora to provide around-the-clock monitoring at vacant properties.

Colorado State Patrol

This law enforcement agency is currently reviewing the business practices and contractual billing of the security firm involved.

Five Dallas Partners

This entity provided a $300,000 partial reimbursement to the city regarding costs incurred at the Dallas Street property.

The details

The city paid hourly rates reaching $80 per officer plus $30 for a vehicle at the Fitzsimmons Apartments on Nome Street. In June 2026 alone, security costs for the Nome Street property totaled $92,000, while Five Dallas Partners provided a $300,000 partial reimbursement for costs associated with the Dallas Street site.

The Fitzsimmons Apartments on Nome Street were shut down in August 2024.
City payments for private security services commenced in December 2024.
The Dallas Street apartment complex was shuttered in early 2025.
The city concluded security services at the Dallas Street property in March 2026.
Security operations at the Nome Street location ended in August 2026.

Legal Context

The city's reliance on private security firms for vacant property monitoring follows patterns established by municipal property closure statutes that mandate site security. These measures highlight the growing reliance on private contractors to manage safety at sites subject to legal property liens.

Residents may notice that the shuttered apartment complexes no longer feature active private security patrols following the end of the contracts in 2026. This shift in security presence marks a change in how the city manages property monitoring after complex closures.

The takeaway

The city utilized private security to ensure police officers were not diverted from their primary patrol duties during apartment closures. Property owners and developers should be aware of the high costs associated with city-mandated security when properties are shuttered.