After 21 years of working diligently to keep the community of Alliance safe, Alliance Police Department Chief John Kiss announced his intent to retire at the end of the year.
Kiss submitted a letter to Mayor Mike Dafney and the other city council members on Aug. 17.
“After a thoughtful and long deliberation, I have decided to retire from my law enforcement career,” Kiss wrote in his letter. “I have nothing but fond memories of serving the community of Alliance and I have enjoyed it tremendously. However, I feel it is time to start checking things off my bucket list that I have neglected over the years, such as spending time with my soon to be 18 grandchildren.”
In his letter, Kiss detailed his 40 years of law enforcement service in Nebraska and Kansas. Kiss served in the United States Air Force for six years. He joined the Alliance Police Department in 1979, working as a patrol officer, a detective and a patrol sergeant
“I can still recall my first day of the hiring process with Linda (Hall) Jines, who was the City Manager’s Secretary at the time,” Kiss’ letter stated. “She was my first initial contact and a wonderful representative about how much the Alliance community had to offer new employees.”
Kiss recalled seven years of employment before pursuing a career opportunity with the Garden City, Kansas Police Department, where he served as the Internal Affairs Lieutenant until 1996. While Kiss served in Kansas, he graduated from the FBI 178th Session in Quantico, Virginia in 1994.
“I enjoyed all aspects of law enforcement in a larger city even though some of the obstacles were difficult and very challenging,” he wrote.
Kiss returned to Alliance to serve as Lieutenant of the Alliance Police Department. He cites his creative thinking as part of the department’s proactive community policing and the School Resource Officer program.
In 2003, Kiss, with support from the Alliance City Council, established the Police Citizen Advisory Board, which he describes as a “collective mixture of different people with great ideas where we share information about policing today and discuss community concerns.”
Kiss attributed his success as the APD Chief to support from several people throughout the years. He shared his vision for the continued success of the Alliance Police Department.
“My success could not have been realized without the support of my family, multiple City Managers throughout the years and especially, the City Council members who always had an open ear and immense understanding of the difficult job law enforcement has with the community,” Kiss wrote.
“There is a fine balance that must be kept between policing and what the citizens need and desire,” he stated in his letter. “I leave the department with a great number of young dedicated officers, who I am confident, will continue to serve the community with grace, compassion and professionalism.”
Kiss will continue to serve the community through Dec. 31.