Ott excited to join Aurora Police Department

Aurora’s newest police officer says he has always looked up to the men and women who serve their communities as law enforcement officers. Peyton Ott joined the Aurora Police Department Jan. 9, replacing an officer who had resigned. 
Ott attended Concordia University in 2019 and later studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, graduating in 2023 with a degree in criminal justice with a focus on national security.
After completing his training at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in December, Ott said he wanted to begin his career in a small community not too far from his hometown of Henderson, where his family still lives.
“It’s been fantastic,” Ott stated. “Not only have I had a ton of support from everybody at the department, but the community has been really great, too!”
“It was a place that I knew and was familiar with and I knew I didn’t want to serve in a larger community,” he explained. “This was really the perfect medium, in between big and small and there’s enough stuff to do here. It’s a good place to be.”
Ott expressed his gratitude and respect for everyone in the police department who has helped him adjust.
“Everybody here has been really great, really welcoming and all that,” Ott commented. “It’s a process to train a new guy. I’m seeing a different side of things, but they’ve all been really great. From top to bottom, I’ve been really appreciative of everything everyone’s been doing, it’s helped me get to where I need to be.”
Ott said he looks forward to building connections in the community of Aurora.
“I want people to get to know who I am as a person, not just behind a badge,” Ott said. “I’m very personable and just really outgoing in the community.”
Ott was sworn into office by City Attorney Ross Luzum during the Jan. 9 city council meeting.