PRESS RELEASE
City of Aspen announces selection of next police chief
Aspen, Colo. – Monday, March 20 – City Manager Sara Ott has announced that Kim Ferber has accepted a conditional offer of employment to be the City of Aspen’s new Police Chief. Ferber was selected following a comprehensive, nationwide selection process.
"We’re excited for Kim to join the team and are confident that she will be an excellent addition to the City of Aspen Police Department and community,” said City Manager Sara Ott. “She brings an extensive law enforcement and leadership background to this role, and we look forward to collaborating with her as she builds on Aspen’s legacy of community policing.”
Ferber is an innovative, empathetic and transparent leader with more than 27 years of rural, suburban and state law enforcement experience. She brings a wealth of experience and leadership skills to her new role. In her most recent role as Operations Commander at the Sterling Police Department, she was responsible for leading a municipal law enforcement agency serving 13,739 residents in a rural environment.
"I am very excited and humbled to become the City of Aspen's next Chief of Police,” said Ferber. “In accepting this position, I look forward to working with such a strong team and integrating into this amazing community.”
City staff, partnering with executive recruitment firm Strategic Government Resources, created the profile for the job, which included key qualities for a top candidate developed through feedback from community members, City Council, law enforcement professionals, and City staff in Fall of 2022.
The field was narrowed from 44 applications received to five candidates that participated in the final selection process. The finalists competed in a community meet and greet, two interview panels consisting of community members, law enforcement representatives, city leadership and employee working groups from Aspen Police Department. Additionally, feedback on the candidates was sought through an online community feedback.
Ott shared that the decision to select Ferber was a hard one as there were several highly qualified candidates, including two internal ones. Ferber's interviews and materials differentiated herself with the depth of leadership experience. She brings skills that complement those existing within the department, strengthening the entire team’s ability to meet the changing needs in our community.
In addition to her tenure with Sterling, Ferber has also served as the State of Colorado Law Enforcement Coordinator, Drug Recognition Expert State Coordinator, and Standardized Field Sobriety Test State Coordinator.
Ferber started her career in law enforcement with the Littleton Police Department in Littleton, Colorado in 1989 as a District Patrol Officer, Motorcycle Traffic Officer and Detective. She stepped up to handle more responsibilities when taking on the roles of Patrol and Investigations Sergeant, Investigations Commander and Division Chief Investigations/Support Services. She was also an adjunct professor with the Arapahoe Community College Police Academy in Littleton. Ferber possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri.
Ferber grew up in Colorado exploring and enjoying the mountains with her family and is active in many outdoor recreation activities. She is an avid fat tire and road cyclist and enjoys fishing, hiking and backpacking. She will be relocating this spring to Aspen with her dog.
As Aspen's new Police Chief, Ferber will be responsible for the overall management of the police department in all areas of law enforcement and public safety, including a focus on helping people in crisis and the well-being of staff.
Following the successful completion of her confirmation with Aspen City Council on April 4, 2023, at 3:30 p.m., Ferber will plan to start in her new role. Her official start date is yet to be determined. Her annual salary will be $178,880; her conditional offer for employment also includes a city housing unit and a $3,000 relocation bonus.
###
Contacts: