“His unwavering commitment, leadership, and courage have left an indelible mark on the department and the lives he has touched. He will be very missed.” – Folsom Police Chief Rick Hillman
For more than two decades, Lieutenant Aaron Zelaya has worn a badge, navigated the challenges of public safety, and helped shape the communities he has served, especially Folsom. Thursday, the Folsom Police Department and local residents came together to celebrate his retirement—marking the end of a chapter and the start of a new one for the Folsom resident who many have come to know as more than a police officer.
Zelaya, 50, stepped away from law enforcement with a ceremony full of emotion, gratitude, and pride. From his ceremonial final radio sign-off to a walk through the department’s traditional “gauntlet,” Zelaya was honored by colleagues, city leaders, and the residents whose trust he spent nearly two decades earning.
Zelaya’s path to Folsom wasn’t immediate. He began his post-college career in the probation department before attending the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office academy as a paid recruit. He spent more than five years with the sheriff’s office, including three years working inside the main jail.
When he transitioned to patrol, he was assigned to South Sacramento—a vastly different experience from what he would later find in Folsom.
“I worked at the main jail for about three years or so, and then I went out to patrol, worked South Sac,” he said. “That was interesting. That’s a different world.”
By 2000, Zelaya and his wife Maria had purchased their first home in Folsom’s Broadstone neighborhood. As their family grew, so did their roots in the community. When a position opened at the Folsom Police Department in 2007, the timing and location felt right.
“We bought our first house here in 2000,” Zelaya recalled. “So we already lived out here. That was a big reason why I started here in 2007.”
Working in the same city where he was raising his children gave the job new meaning.
“It was nice being able to work in the town while living in the same town,” he said. “Because, these guys all went to school here,” he added, gesturing to his three children, who joined him for the interview with Folsom Times.
From Enforcement to Empathy
During his tenure, Zelaya served in a wide range of assignments—patrol officer, detective, sergeant, watch commander, and eventually commander of the Neighborhood Services Division. But among them all, it was his leadership of the Community Crime Suppression Unit that stands out as his most fulfilling.
“I would say ranks right up there as probably one of the best assignments I ever had,” he said. “Because it was something that I knew I was impacting the local community and making a difference.”
That impact went beyond arrests and citations. Zelaya and his team took a hands-on approach to Folsom’s growing challenges around homelessness—connecting individuals with housing, services, and often, just a listening ear.
“A lot of times we were trying to get these guys into programs or off the streets or into housing or services,” he said. “And a lot of times, you know, we just talked to them because they would just tell us their life stories.”
His role, he said, gave him a unique window into the lives and struggles of some of Folsom’s most vulnerable residents. It also required adapting to new state laws and court rulings, including the Ninth Circuit’s Boise decision, which limited local enforcement when shelter space was lacking.
“It was kind of a unique set of circumstances just because of the change in the state, the legislation, the laws,” Zelaya said.
One key tool during that time was a local fire municipal code ordinance, introduced by then-Chief Ken Cusano, which allowed the department to address encampments in fire-prone areas.
Zelaya described his approach to homelessness enforcement as “tough love.”
“You have to hold them accountable,” he said. “Because if you allow these folks to linger out there and suffer under the circumstances they’re living in, that is more cruel than what we’re doing by holding them accountable.”
Among the many operations he led, a massive cleanup behind the Folsom Zoo remains one of the most memorable. It required collaboration from city council members, code enforcement, private contractors, volunteers, and even retired Captain Mike Bonaventure. Together, they cleared 8,000 pounds of debris from a steep embankment.
A department and a community that felt like home
Zelaya’s connection to Folsom went beyond his badge. It was about family, familiarity, and a rare level of mutual respect between law enforcement and residents.
“The fundamental difference from working for the Sheriff’s Department in South Sac and coming to work here is that the support we get as a police department is, you can’t even explain it,” he said. “When I worked in Sacramento, every night that we went out, it was more of a feeling of like an occupying force in a third-world country. Whereas here, the people welcome us. They love and support the police department.”
Folsom Times photos by Bill Sullivan
He added, “Not every community enjoys the level of support from the community and the residents. Not just the residents, the business community, too. That’s huge.”
Reflecting on his decision to transfer to Folsom, Zelaya called it the best move of his career.
“This was probably the best career move that I made coming over here—the opportunities, the relationships, and the work I was able to do here.”
As officers lined the walkway and dispatchers gave the green light for one final call, Zelaya shared the moment with Chief Rick Hillman by his side.
“His unwavering commitment, leadership, and courage have left an indelible mark on the department and the lives he has touched,” Hillman said. “Aaron will be very missed by us.”
Zelaya is leaving the job on his own terms—and with big plans ahead. With his youngest daughter graduating from high school this year and Maria also recently retired, the couple has one goal in sight: a full season of San Francisco 49ers football, home and away.
“Our plan this upcoming season is going to be our year,” he said. “We’re going to go to every home and away 49ers game—her and I.” He smiled and crossed his fingers as he added, “Super Bowl 60 is at Levi Stadium in February. So you heard it here first: Niners!”
He also explained that the physical toll of wearing the badge was becoming harder to ignore. It was that combined with reaching the required to hang up that badge and the desire to spend time with his family.
“This is kind of a young man’s job,” he said. “You know, it’s not easy, physically. My body’s kind of falling apart these days. So I’m ready to not have to wear the belt and the gear every day. After 25 years, the physical side of it takes a toll. For the most part, it’s time for me to step away.”
Asked what he hopes to be remembered for, Zelaya kept it simple.
“I hope I made a difference out there,” he said.
For those who ever had the chance to see him work in the field and the many the residents Zelaya worked to protect and assist, the answer is pretty clear to anyone who has witnessed him in the field – he certainly made difference in the community.
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