It didn’t take long for newly appointed Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman to start reinventing the Aurora Police Department.

Ziman, Aurora’s first-ever female police chief, and Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner today (Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016) announced recommendations for the deputy chief position and promoted two others to key command positions with the Aurora Police Department.

Ziman took over as police chief on Jan. 12, when her appointment was accepted by the Aurora City Council. She succeeds longtime Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas, who announced his retirement in September. Today’s appointments bring youth and diversity to the department’s command staff, as well as some impressive experience and credentials.

Jackson Named Second-in-Command

A 21-year Aurora police veteran, Lt. Keefe Jackson, 49, has been recommended to fill the second-in-command position of the state’s second largest police department.

Keefe Jackson, 49, has been recommended to fill the second-in-command position of the state’s second largest police department. CREDIT: City of Aurora

“A strong and diverse command staff sets the tone of a police department,” said Mayor Tom Weisner. “After consulting with Chief Ziman and reviewing the short-term and long-term goals of the APD, I am proud to recommend Keefe Jackson as the new deputy chief. His decades of experience and leadership in law enforcement and in the military will continue to be invaluable to the second largest police department in the state.”

Jackson, who began his career with the Aurora police in April, 1995, has worked in patrol, Special Operations (Gangs and Vice) and Field Training and is a former member of the Special Response (SWAT) Team. He was also an investigator with the Illinois State Police North Central Narcotics Task Force, served on the Aurora Police Honor Guard, and coordinated the police department’s Crisis Intervention Team, which addresses calls for service involving people with psychological challenges. He currently oversees the Office of Professional Standards, which investigates internal and external complaints involving Aurora Police employees.

Jackson was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and lieutenant in 2010. If his appointment is OK’d by the full City Council, he would become the first African-American deputy police chief in Aurora and the first deputy chief since the position was vacated in 2008, when Thomas was promoted to chief.

Jackson is a retired captain with the United States Army National Guard having served as a commissioned officer for 23 years. His National Guard experience included deployment in Iraq, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Jackson is a 1984 graduate of Lindblom Technical High School in Chicago and a 1990 graduate of Northern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He also graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State in Local Government program; the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police; and the School of Police and Staff and Command at Northwestern University.

“I was faced with the daunting but exciting task to promote a deputy chief and two commanders,” Ziman said. “I say daunting because the skill-set and heart-set of the applicants made it ridiculously difficult. But that also made it impossible to make a bad decision.

“My end in mind was to bring people together with competency and leadership abilities that would, through their example, inspire members of our police department and bring out the best in them,” she continued. “In doing so, service to our citizens is the natural consequence. The officers chosen today all epitomize honor, integrity and compassion and that balance is what earned them the positions.”

Lt. Michael Doerzaph, 47, and Lt. Keith Cross, 46, have been promoted to commanders of the Aurora Police Department. CREDIT: City of Aurora

Doerzaph, Cross Named Commanders

Ziman selected Lt. Michael Doerzaph, 47, and Lt. Keith Cross, 46, for promotions to commander.

Doerzaph, a 22-year Aurora police veteran, has worked in Patrol and Special Operations and also served on the North Central Narcotics Task Force. In addition, he supervised the APD Narcotics Unit, including the Aurora investigators assigned to numerous federal and state task forces. He presently oversees the Aurora Police Department’s Central Services Division consisting of the 911 Center, Jail, and Records sections.

Doerzaph was promoted to sergeant in 2003 and lieutenant in 2008. He graduated in 1987 from Naperville Central High School and in 1991 from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and a minor in sociology. He also graduated from the School of Police and Staff and Command at Northwestern University.

Cross began his career with the Aurora police in April, 1994 after a short stint with the Milwaukee Police Department. In Aurora, he’s worked in Patrol, Community Policing, Special Operations, Field Training, Central Services, and is a former school resource officer. He also leads the department’s Honor Guard, Crisis Intervention Team, and Hostage Negotiator Team. Cross is the president of the Northern Illinois Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and graduated from the Executive Strategic Management program at the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.

Cross was promoted to sergeant in 2005 and lieutenant in 2008. He is a 1987 graduate of East Aurora High School, earned his associates degree in general studies from Waubonsee Community College in 1989 and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in political science from Bemidji State University in 1992.

The deputy chief appointment is subject to City Council approval.  The Aurora City Council will have an opportunity to discuss the recommendation at a Committee of the Whole meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2. The candidate will be considered for appointment at a special City Council meeting immediately following the Committee of the Whole meeting the same evening.

Upon confirmation from the City Council, the new deputy chief will be sworn in immediately.

SOURCE: City of Aurora news release