Police Chief E. John Kiss has retired from the City of Alliance after 31 years of dedication to the community. John, originally a native of Miami, Florida, and a graduate of Killian Senior High, joined the United States Air Force after graduation in 1972. He was stationed in Florida for two years and then served two years in Hawaii where he earned an associate’s degree from the University of Hawaii. His final 2 years of Air Force service ended at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1978. John earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Chadron State College while serving as a patrol officer for the City of Alliance. Additionally, John graduated from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, Nebraska in 1980 and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 1994.
During his law enforcement career with the City of Alliance he served as a patrol officer, investigator, and sergeant. In 1986 John relocated to Garden City, Kansas where he served their community as a patrol officer, criminal investigator, internal affairs sergeant and lieutenant in Operations. He returned to Alliance in 1996 as the Lieutenant and Operations Commander, until he replaced Robert Jatczak in 1999 as Chief of Police.
Throughout his long and distinguished career Chief Kiss has been committed to community policing concepts. Examples of this are his creation of a Police Citizen Advisory Board and his membership on the Latino Advisory Board which exemplify his commitment to promoting positive personal contact between members of law enforcement and the public. Chief Kiss was also a valued and well-respected regional leader, thanks to his longtime involvement in the Western Nebraska Intelligence and Narcotics Task Force. His implementation of the police departmental operations manual was widely adopted by several surrounding panhandle police agencies.
John and his wife Lynnette have six children and 17 grandchildren. He is looking forward to a retirement filled with Husker games, traveling, and a new past time of learning to play the piano and spending time with his family.
Please join the department and City of Alliance in wishing him a happy retirement!
Due to COVID-19 a community retirement event will not be held. In lieu of this, please send cards to:
E. John Kiss
1212 Hammond Lane
Alliance, NE 69301