Aurora police credit new pursuit policy with arrest of known criminal

CBS News

2 days ago

A Wednesday morning traffic stop in Aurora resulted in the arrest of two suspects after a short pursuit. It's an operation that the Aurora Police Department says exemplifies the impact of their new pursuit policy and proactive policing.
The stolen Toyota RAV4 was first spotted near East 32nd Avenue and North Airport Boulevard. APD officers followed the car into Denver's Montbello neighborhood and coordinated with Denver Police before attempting a traffic stop.
When the driver refused to stop, officers executed a controlled PIT maneuver to end the pursuit safely. APD Agent Matthew Longshore says the decision to use the PIT was carefully planned.
"The officers actually formulated a plan and followed the car for a little bit," Longshore said. "It was something they coordinated to make sure that they were safe and had the best chance to capture the suspects."
After the PIT maneuver, the passenger, 26-year-old Mackson Beti, surrendered at the scene. Authorities said the driver, 28-year-old Abel Paneo-Castro, fled on foot but was quickly caught.
Paneo-Castro has a well-known history with APD, the department said.
"They found a handgun, they found drugs, they found the driver had the extensive criminal history. These are the types of people who we know are driving stolen cars," Longshore said.
Paneo-Castro's record includes charges for vehicle thefts, felony eluding, drug possession, carrying a concealed weapon, and other theft-related crimes. At the time of arrest, he had an active warrant for criminal trespass and obstruction.
Police say Beti was found carrying a felony quantity of narcotics, several stolen credit cards, and a handgun equipped with an extended magazine.
The arrests came due to APD's proactive overtime program, which allows officers to work extra hours focusing on crime hot spots in their districts.
"We call it hotspot policing," Longshore explained. "You identify certain areas and target officers in those areas to try to prevent crime or catch criminals in the act or just be a presence in the area to make our community feel safe."
He says this incident also highlights the effectiveness of Aurora's revised pursuit policy. The policy authorizes vehicle pursuits only when certain conditions are met, including when a suspect is committing a felony, is DUI, is armed, or is driving a confirmed stolen vehicle.
"This is exactly the type of pursuit and capture that this policy change was meant for," Longshore said.
When asked why Paneo-Castro, despite a long criminal history, was still on the streets, Longshore pointed to the limits of police authority.
"Police officers have the responsibility to arrest people. Beyond that, it's corrections and the courts. We want to be good partners in that process, but some things are out of our control. Just like when people post bond, those are already assigned for certain crimes."
He says Aurora's officers take community safety seriously, particularly during high-risk operations like pursuits.
APD is currently building internal databases to track pursuit outcomes and offender profiles. Supervisors now complete detailed forms after each pursuit, allowing the department to collect data on pursuit length, suspect behavior and criminal histories.
"We're really proud that only a few of these incidents have actually ended with someone being hurt," he said. "We want to give our officers credit for keeping pursuits safe and for catching these criminals. That's the biggest thing, getting people off the street who don't need to be there."