Aurora Chief Kristen Ziman honored by city, mayor as she prepares to retire Aug. 6

Aug. 6 will be a bittersweet day in the state's second-largest city as Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman concludes a decorated 30-year career with the Aurora Police Day. But she will do so on what is now her own holiday in her hometown.

Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin issued a proclamation tonight at the Aurora City Council meeting naming Aug. 6 as "Chief Kristen Ziman Day" during a 30-minute ceremony that honored the retiring chief for her decades of service to Aurora.

"You not only raised the bar; you raised the roof and broke the ceiling," said Mayor Irvin as he surprised Ziman with the Mayor's Award of Excellence, referring to her becoming Aurora's first female police chief in 2016.

Ziman was also Aurora's first female lieutenant and commander.

The ceremony also included a special poem recitation from the Aurora Poet Laureate, remarks from the Aurora City Council, and multiple standing ovations from the audience, all of which left Ziman visibly emotional as she took her seat.

The evening concluded with a changing of the guard flag presentation.

Ziman presented the incoming chief Keith Cross with the department's flag followed by a salute, symbolically transferring leadership of 300-plus member force to the current deputy chief.

Ziman's last day is Friday, Aug. 6.

A public swearing-in ceremony will be held for Keith Cross at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, at his alma mater, East Aurora High School, 500 Tomcat Lane, Aurora.