Aurora Chief of Police Kristen Ziman
Sugar Grove – A Waubonsee Community College alumnus has been recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman is one of three selected for AACC’s 2021 Outstanding Alumni Award.
Ziman graduated from Waubonsee with an Associate in Applied Science Degree in 1993. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Aurora University in 2003, a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management/Organizational Development from Boston University in 2008, and a Master’s Degree from the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security. She has also completed training sessions with the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University, the FBI National Academy, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the Kellogg School of Management.
Ziman was sworn in as an Aurora Police Officer in 1994. She was a Community Policing Officer from 1997-1998 when she was selected to develop and implement a Domestic Violence Reduction Unit (DVRU) and was a DVRU detective from 1998-2001.
She was also a member of the Aurora Police Honor Guard from 1999-2001. She was a field training officer from 2001-2003. In 2003 she was promoted to Sergeant and became the coordinator for the field training program. In 2008 she was the first female in the department’s history to be promoted above the rank of Sergeant when she was promoted to Lieutenant. She was promoted to Commander in 2010. As Commander, she designed and implemented the performance management system, created the burglary task force, and held community forums to keep the public informed. Ziman was named the Aurora Chief of Police in 2016.
In addition to her more than 25 years of police service to the community, Ziman serves her profession through service on boards such as the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Community Policing Committee, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Board, and the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council.
Chief Kristen Ziman is a perfect model of the graduates that community colleges produce every day. In recognition of her personal, academic, and professional success, Chief Ziman was named the 2019 Waubonsee Community College Distinguished Alumnus.
Each year, the AACC recognizes community college alumni who have excelled in their chosen fields. The association is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. It represents nearly 1,200 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 12 million students.
