Two years ago, the Edge of Lowry Apartments made national headlines amid allegations that the complex had been overrun by a Venezuelan gang, Tren De Aragua.The topic became a hot-button issue in an election year and President Do nald Trump made it part of his campaign, even stopping in Aurora to make a speech a month before he was elected.But even after the City of Aurora shut down the properties, the residents moved out and the national attention faded, Aurora kept footing the bill.A Denver7 Investigation found that the city paid a private security company Denver Metro Security more than $1.7 million mainly for around-the-clock security at these shuttered apartments between December 2024 and August 2026. Its something one Aurora councilman said appears to be a bad use of taxpayer dollars.WATCH THE FULL STORY HERE: Aurora spent $1.7 million guarding vacant apartments tied to Venezuelan gangsI could see why at one point security might have been needed there, Councilman Curtis Gardner said. But at this point, I dont know why these vacant properties should be treated any differently.Denver Metro Security is at the center of a series of Denver7 investigations into the companys business practices. A Colorado State Patrol trooper said the companys use of red and blue lights and construction sites was illegal. The company also hired fired Colorado police officers for taxpayer-funded jobs, including one in the same city from which he was fired.Empty, but not freeIn Aurora, Sally Macko, 83, lives of the across the street from the now former Edge of Lowry Apartments on Dallas Street and has watched whats happened at the complex since the buildings were boarded up and the residents left. It's very quiet, she said. Theres nobody there. Nobody lives there.But empty did not mean free of costs.Denver7 Investigates obtained and reviewed hundreds of City of Aurora records. In some cases, the city was billed $40 per hour, per person for security patrols. At the former Fitzsimmons Apartments on Nome Street, those invoices jumped to $80 an hour for each security officer plus another $30 for a vehicle.Those costs added up. In June 2026, records show Aurora paid more than $92,000 for private security at the Nome Street apartments, which were shut down in August 2024. The apartments on Dallas Street were closed in early 2025. The invoices also included some expenses at a third property nearby on Hanover Street. Gardner, the Aurora City Councilman, said he wants answers from city leadership, specifically on when its appropriate to have third-party security.Price tag warrants scrutinyUniversity of Denver Public Policy Professor Ajenai Clemmons said hiring private security after a city shuts down a troubled apartment complex can make sense initially.Its very common that you would see that city front costs associated with that, because an empty building is a very rich target for serious crime, she said. However, the overall cost raises questions, she said.Definitely, the price tag is something that would warrant more investigation, she said.The City of Aurora declined to make both City Manager Jason Batchelor or Police Chief Todd Chamberlain available for interviews, but a spokesperson did provide answers in an email, stating that hiring private security freed up police officers to patrol the city and answer other calls.But the records still leave questions on how long taxpayers kept paying for that security.Those records show that security at the Edge of Lowry on Dallas continued for more than a year after the property was closed. At Fitzsimmons on Nome Street, it lasted nearly two years.Theres no question that the City of Aurora needs to have a conversation with the public and lay out their expenses and explain their rationale, Clemmons said, adding that the city could also go back to the previous property owners to try and recoup some of security costs.Macko, the Aurora resident across the street from the Edge at Lowry, said the financial burden should not fall to taxpayers.Its their problem, its not my problem, she said, referring to previous ownership. They should pay for it themselves.Partial reimbursement and outstanding liensAt the Edge of Lowry on Dallas Street, the property owner did pay a portion of the costs, according to city records. The company, Five Dallas Partners, agreed to pay Aurora $300,000 and the city released liens on the property, calling it a partial reimbursement.The city still has outstanding liens on the Nome Street property.The costs need to be accounted for and explained by city leaders, Clemmons said.The City of Aurora said it ended security at Dallas Street in March and Nome Street in August, after Denver7 Investigates began asking questions about the cost. The city said the questions did not prompt that decision.An Aurora spokesman also said the Nome Street owner is fighting its liens in court and that the city, could no longer justify spending public funds to secure private property.Councilman Gardner told Denver7 Investigates he is now asking the city for a presentation at an upcoming Council meeting.We should be keeping our residents safe, but we also should not be paying for security when we don't need it, Gardner said.The state of Colorado also confirmed it is actively reviewing Denver Metro Securitys business practices. Denver Metro Security has not responded to repeated requests for comment. ...read more read less