Auraria Campus Police Department Chief Michael Phibbs has resigned from his position with the Auraria Higher Education Center. Phibbs’ resignation comes in conjunction with accepting a position with the Department of Revenue in Gov. Jared Polis’ office. His last day with the ACPD will be Friday, Jan. 27. Commander Jason Mollendor, a Roadrunner and longtime member of the ACPD, has been named interim chief of police to ensure continuity of safety and service to all Auraria constituents.
A seasoned law-enforcement professional with 30 years’ experience, Phibbs worked to form the ACPD Community Advisory Board, chaired the Colorado Chiefs of Police Legislative Committee and tirelessly supported efforts to pass state legislation on police accountability, reclassification for the possession of fentanyl, and House Bill 217, among others.
During his time on the Auraria Campus, Phibbs also helped orchestrate a visit by First Lady Jill Biden, Ed.D., to campus. He researched and secured a new records system for the ACPD and implemented the body-camera policy and the system now worn by all ACPD officers. Phibbs also took a hands-on role developing emergency-management procedures for the Auraria Campus.
In a statement, AHEC Executive Director Colleen Walker called Phibbs “an admired and highly regarded statewide leader in public safety.”
“The Auraria Higher Education Center would like to thank Auraria Campus Police Chief Michael Phibbs for his nine years of dedicated service to the Auraria Campus Police Department and wish him the very best in this next chapter of his leadership journey,” Walker added.
In seeking a long-term replacement for Phibbs, AHEC will collaborate on an inclusive process that will solicit input from institutional partners and engage community members in conversations about what leadership qualities they deem essential in AHEC’s next chief of police. AHEC is also working with a recruiting firm specializing in law enforcement to provide expertise to campus leaders throughout the search.
“Our campus community’s input is vital to this search,” Walker said. “Please continue to look for and be aware of future shared communications surrounding this process.”