Police Officer Jackie Groshens

By Molly Milroy

Growing up, Jackie Groshens wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do with her life. Eventually her calling came to her through a series of events. She knew she wanted to help others. Now she works as a Duluth police officer and lives in the Northland with her fiancée Justine and her 14-year-old stepson.

Helping others

Originally from White Bear Lake, Minn., Groshens, pronounced Gro-hans, moved to the Northland in 2008 to study and play softball at the University of Wisconsin Superior. She graduated in 2012 with a degree in criminal justice.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my criminal justice degree, I was leaning toward probation and started working at a group facility for juveniles that have mental health diagnosis and traumatic incidences in their life,” explained Groshens. “I really got to learn how to deal with mental health in that aspect.”

After taking another position with a different company in Duluth where she was able to conduct in-home treatment with children who had mental health diagnoses, including teaching them coping skills, her interest in helping others evolved.

“I really got into the mental health aspect of working with people,” she said, adding she always juggled the idea of going into law enforcement.

Her desire to help others runs in her family. Her two older sisters both work in service oriented industries in the Twin Cities, one as a paramedic and the other as a therapist.

Working as a police officer

Groshens graduated with her Associate of Arts in law enforcement from Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in 2016. In December 2017, she joined the Duluth

Police Department. Although there has been a learning curve, she enjoys the work as it brings something new every day.

“I really like the fact that every day I go into work it’s something new,” she said. “Each call you handle differently. You have to work your way through a puzzle to try to figure out what you are dealing with and what you can do to get through a situation.”

One of her favorite parts of the job is working alongside her co-workers.

“The majority of the crew that I work with, I’ve been working with since I started, so we’ve really gotten to know each other,” Groshens said. “We’ve really been able to figure out each other’s strengths and how we can use each other’s strengths in responding to calls. I really do appreciate being able to trust the people I work with.”

Lt. Robert Shene, Groshens’ shift commander, shares a similar sentiment.

“She engages with people and can work with just about anybody,” he said, “and she’s fun to work with. She always has a good day.”

When Groshens responds to domestic violence or sexual assault calls, she knows that being a female police officer can bring a sense of calm.

“Being female can be perceived as being compassionate and understanding during times when people are vulnerable. It can be a little bit easier when they’re speaking to a female,” Groshens explained. “What’s most important is how am I going to do my job and how am I going to do it well.”

Finding balance

Police work can be difficult and with it came a learning curve for Groshens.

“It can be challenging. There are a lot of things I didn’t know I would be getting involved in. It was a lot to juggle at first.”

According to Lt. Shene, that can also be a strength.

“She wants to learn, she has a maturity where she realizes she’s new and she’s not afraid to ask and she’s not afraid to learn from others.”

With everything Groshens encounters on her shifts she knows it’s important to leave some things at the door.

“The number one thing that I think is difficult and that I had to definitely learn from is just being able to check my day at the door before coming home,” Groshens said, sharing that some days are harder than others. “Later on I may talk to Justine about it to process through. There are plenty of people to talk to and that is definitely one thing I had to learn, that it’s OK to talk.”

Another aspect to the job that can be difficult is the variety and severity of the calls that come through.

“It can be hard when you’re dealing with day to day calls like thefts or vehicle calls, and then you have to go right to a high priority call so your adrenaline is pumping,” she said. “Once that call is over, then we get back to our day to day calls. Being able to fluently go through the waves of the shifts throughout the day can be challenging.”

Getting outside

When she’s not patrolling the streets of Duluth, Groshens likes to be active outside, taking in all the Northland has to

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Questions: offer. This past spring, her stepson taught her how to mountain bike and when she’s not biking the trails, she’s hiking them. She enjoys hiking the trails at Jay Cooke State Park and along the North Shore where she and Justine will take their two dogs, Ralph, a Yoranian, and Spirit, a Yorkie Shih Tzu.

Groshens also plays on summer softball leagues, including one in South Range, Wis.

“There’s so much to do all of the time, but with a smaller town feel to it,” she said. “And it might sound cliché, but I love the lake. Any opportunity I have, I go sit by the lake and look at it. It’s super calming to me.”

Groshens’ days are full of activities that are both challenging and rewarding. Despite the challenges, she finds satisfaction in her work.

“Overall it was a good choice for me to be with the Duluth Police Department,” she said. “It has given me the ability to keep learning throughout my career. It’s been a good experience for me.” D

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