GJPD 2015 Portrait Project

Patrol Officer Shad LeFerve has been with the Grand Junction Police Department for alittle over 1 year. A native of Spanish Fork, Utah. Shad simply told me that he didn't know how but that he just knew that he wanted to do something more when he made the decision to become a police officer. "I was a mailman, a construction worker, I was a missionary and spent 2 years in Africa. I've always found a satisfaction in helping people and I am not cut out for office life." "Most of the time I meet people on their bad days, and I have to make the hard right choices. And this is the greatest job in the world."

Sargent Stan Ancell has been a police officer for 24 years and looking back he says that he doesn’t know what else he would be doing. 20 Years with the Grand Junction Police Department Sgt. Ancell is also the commander of the bomb squad and a Supervisor for the Colorado Mesa University Police team. Stan Ancell had graduated college in Denver, working at a heating & air company when he realized he needed to make a change. Describing his childhood as “rough”, making a change also meant making an impact. In talking with Sgt. Ancell he described his commitment to his job, his colleagues and the Grand Junction community. In talking to the man behind the uniform I learned about Stan Ancell, a man who lives in this community, raises his two sons in this community. Bikes, hikes and runs in this community. Because of that he knows that when he goes to work it is always for the right reasons, look past the bureaucracies at times, hard times of not being home with family and serve not just his community but his neighbors. He looks back at 24 years of service and the lasting friendships and relationships built and says it goes bye so fast. “I will do this as long as I can” And when he is done, plans to travel. Sgt. Ancell is currently training to run the Leadville 100 next fall.

Dispatch Supervisor Glen Klaich is with the GJ Regional Communications Center based out of the GJPD. He supervises a staff of up to 12 dispatchers that fields around 1000 calls each day and coordinate services and real time information for the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, Fruita and Palisade Police Departments, Colorado National Monument Rangers and the DeBeque and Collbran Marshal's Offices, as well as 13 Fire and EMS agencies. Glen has a degree in Mass Communication-Broadcasting from Mesa College and has been in Public Safety Communication for the past 20 years, 18 in Grand Junction. "This is work that means something to me. With my education and experience, in a small way, I get to make a difference in my community," the community in which his mom still lives, where his wife works as Director for the Little Mavericks Day Care Program, and the community his grown boys come back to and call home. Working with and supporting the dispatchers who answer the calls they do, the calls of people in the moment of distress, trauma, or injury, Glen reminds himself and his staff to try to separate their jobs from their personal lives. In the same breath he told me that you still go home replaying calls in your mind. When he is not at the Comm Center, Glen Klaich fishes, hunts, spends time with family and friends, and builds various projects out of wood. "It is important to create something of beauty." In closing our conversation, every so humbly Glen told me, "Its an honor to support the guys and gals that go into the field and do the work they do."

Police Officer Gina Telinde was finishing her bachelors degree in Biology Pre-Med at Colorado Mesa University. With every intention of going into a medical profession. Born and raised in central Indiana she jumped at the chance to take a summer job as a Park Ranger for Colorado Parks and Wildlife here on the Western Slope. Six and a half years later she was she was still working the Parks & Wildlife, in love with the job and the excitement that came each day. A calling to help and make a more effective change in her local community she transferred to the Grand Junction Police Department. She is now three and a half years with GJPD works with Crisis Intervention, Hostage Negotiation, and Investigations. P.O. Telinde loves her job, and is commited to her department, co-workers and the community. "I always go home with my day in the back of my mind, did I give 100%, Its not always something you can turn off at the end of the day." More importantly in her personal life, P.O. Telinde is married, her husband is a Sheriffs Deputy here in Mesa County,she has a 7 yr old Step Daughter, and at 4 months pregnant they are 0expecting a child. A child she plans to take hiking, Pike fishing & teaching. When asked she told me she has no plans of leaving her job, colleagues or her community.

PST Cara Pellowski is a 14yr Veteran of Law Enforcement and 10 years with the Grand Junction Police Department. She is a Police Services Technician, Before that an Evidence Technician. PST. Pellowski Started out as a Police Dispatcher after responding to a want ad. "I was just looking for a job and it looked like it paid well." A job she said she could fit into and enjoyed became more. "They became a family to me, and we are never just going through the motions." PST Pellowski is not and has never been a sworn officer, though she now wears a uniform her jobs have always been behind the scenes, helping officers, supporting families, etc. PST Pellowski moved to Grand Junction with her Family from Wisconsin, when her parents decided to move to the Western Slope in retirement. PST Pellowski argues that the biggest challenge or struggle for her is the assumptions and generalizations that are inferred with her and the police department. Cara Pellowski is a proud mother, dog owner, and partner to her boyfriend. She spends her time with her family, she runs, play racquet ball and finds ways to push herself to grow as a professional and as a woman.

Patrol Officer Christopher Kopp is a 10 Year Veteran of the Grand Junction Police Department. Born in Princeton New Jersey and raised in Denver. While at Colorado Mesa University earning a B.S. in Math P.O. Kopp met his wife, a native of Grand Junction. When I asked how a math degree turned into being a police officer, P.O. Kopp told me A degree in math was a way to keep his options opened but that he had always wanted to be a police officer. In regards to being a Police Officer, “it’s a blast, no two days are the same, I am outdoors, I get to connect and meet people and hopefully create some transparency and leave people with a positive impact and Image of what “we” do.” Above all P.O. Kopp has and encourages always having a positive attitude and always looking at the bright side. “When the police are called chances are someone is not doing well, or something is not going well, so we need to use that as a chance to make the best and most of those situations.” Hard days for P.O. Kopp are the days he has to realize some situations he can’t control, some things are beyond his control and sometimes people won’t accept help. P.O. Kopp finds it very important to draw a line between work and home life. To not bring my work home with him is a struggle but necessary. Along with his Wife, a school teacher, he spends much of his time with his three boys, gardening and DIY Projects, tinkering in his Garage, and his recently finished storage shed he built from reclaimed wooden pallets. When he is not on Patrol around CMU you can find Patrol Officer Kopp teaching or leading presentations to college students about safety, responsibility and keeping perspective in life.

Patrol Officer Suzette Freidenberger has never known a time in her life that she did not want to be a police officer, "Being a Police officer is in my blood, for generations my family has been in law enforcement." Ofc. Freidenberger is a 14 yr. veteran of the GJPD. She also teaches Defensive Tactics and Reporting at the academy and Former Field Training Officer. Suzette acknowledges that their are points that set her apart being a female officer, and that it is never and issue within the department. She considers the GJPD her family, and does not view her self as a female officer, simply as an officer. Ofc. Freidenberger was a Corporal for four years before she Self-Demoted herself back to Patrol Officer and started working at Colorado Mesa University. She started working at CMU to fight against the rise of Sexual Assault and Rape on Campus. She works with Campus security and teaches preventative and proactive courses to female students. Ofc. Freidenberger says that as an officer you are never really off the clock, but when she is not at work, she spend time with her husband, and two children. She loves to cook, Quilt and spend time with her family, fishing and camping. As of our interview Ofc. Suzette Freidenberger was on the Sergeants list for the GJPD.

Patrol Officer Zac McCullough has been with the Grand Junction Police Department for 3 yrs. Ofc. McCullough moved from Ft. Collins CO. to Grand Junction to attend the police academy. At 26yrs old Zac states that “this is what I was meant to do, and this is what I love to do.” Zac grew up in the Ft. Collins area working on his family’s ranch, spent a lot of time coaching youth football and other sports, adding “ If I wasn’t doing this I would have pursued a career in teaching.” Ofc. McCullough plans to work towards a being a School Resource Officer, as well as continue his work with cases involving child welfare. Ofc. McCullough believes in leaving a positive impact, shifting preconceived notions, and supporting both his work community and the community of Grand Junction. The support and appreciation he receives in return is why he goes to work each day.

Laura Gardner was 14 Yrs old when she became a Police Explorer, at 19 she became a 911 dispatcher waiting until she was old enough to enter the police academy. 11 years later Corporal Laura Gardner has spent time working with the Sterling Colorado Police Department, the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Logan County Sheriff’s Department , and her current post here in Grand Junction where she also works as a Field Training Officer for new officers. In the academy Cpl. Gardner also met her husband, a trooper with the Colorado State Patrol. “This Job does change you as a person in so many ways, and it is the most rewarding thing I could ever imagine doing for work.” Cpl. Gardner explained the “Sheepdog Theory” to me. In which it became clear that for Cpl. Gardner there was no deep seeded meaning, no archetype of justice, simply that there are people that wish to harm others, and people who need help, and she is the one to help. Cpl. Laura Gardner and her husband have 2 children and they spend all of their free time as a family, hiking, exercising and just being. They also take a Jiu-Jitsu class together.

Corporal Cody Kennedy has spent 10 years with the Grand Junction Police Department. In that time has taken on several hats. He is a Field Training Officer, Defensive Tactics Trainer, a member of the S.W.A.T. team, teaches at the Police Academy, and currently sits as the President of the Western Colorado Peace Officers Association. On the front range of Colorado, Corporal Kennedy grew up on a horse and cattle farm and earned a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Business. He later became a commodities trader on an international level. He started a family and eventually realized he was unfulfilled, unhappy, and looking for more from his career. With the support of his wife he attended an open house GJPD put on when recruiting new officers in 2005. Cody estimated he was one of about 400 at the meeting and didn't think he'd make the cut. He was eventually one of five selected from the pool to be sent to police academy. Ten years later Corporal Kennedy spends most of his time teaching on and off his watch. Placing value in training, support and looking for opportunities to be proactive. He always imparting upon other officers, "Never take someone’s dignity.” and “It's never our job to punish anyone.” He loves what he does and he loves his family and that is why he does what he does, “That Belief and Faith is my armor I wear every day and I am fulfilled in that choice.”

****Corporal Cody stopped our interview and pulled out his phone to pull up a report he wanted to share with me. The article was a report of a fellow officer, Trevor Casper, an officer in Milwaukee,WI who was shot and killed in the line of duty the day before (3/24/15) in pursuit of a bank robber. Officer Casper had just completed training and started his first shift that day.****

Since the 9th grade Deputy Chief Michael Nordine has known what he wanted to do in life. After 32 Years with the Grand Junction Police Department he still finds purpose, drive and passion for what he does. As an administrator Deputy Chief Nordine supports officers and line staff to make sure that the whole organization is always doing the right thing, and is acting for the good of the community. “It is easy to find motivation in this job because I am around great people and a great organization.” Michael Nordine is an advocate for his community as well, and approaches his line of work as a “people business.” He emphasizes the need to build relationships, and on an individual level to get into the community that is served and day-to-day be there building and strengthening the community. Deputy Chief Michael Nordine has always known his place was the serve the public and support those who do the same. This summer he has plans to take a solo trip up the Pacific coast, continuing to define and redefine himself.

Community Resource Officer Dustin Bovee, has been with the Grand Junction Police Department for almost 3 Yrs. A Veteran of the Iraq War Officer Bovee was a U.S. Marine, after which he worked for the Department of Revenue. Earned a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice, in the plan of becoming a lawyer. Officer Bovee felt a stronger calling to make a Direct and Positive impact where he knew it counted and was needed, his community. As a Police Officer for the City of Grand Junction Dustin Embraces the challenges, excitement and the "chess" mentality of looking at issues from a holistic approach. Taking into thought how each of his actions will affect everyone involved. Officer Bovee believes that he is the person that can help make a change. Senseless violence and loss of life are always a struggle. He reminds himself that he has to keep moving forward and help others do the same. At the end of every day Officer Bovee goes home to his wife and two children; each morning they are the reason he goes back to work.

Patrol Officer Isaac Gallegos is an 8 year veteran of the Grand Junction Police Department, and 2 years with the Durango Colorado Police Department and is also a hostage negotiator. "My Goal is to give the citizens of Grand Junction a safe and good quality of life." Before GJPD Officer Gallegos was in a Rap-Metal Band and life goals where to become a rock star, When the events of 9/11/01 shifted his ideals, found a new belief and ideal in right and wrong and "good and evil" and as he stated " I wanted to do something about it." Isaac believes in the community’s children as the future, advocates and fights for their rights, Takes on cases and issues of abuse and harm of children and domestic violence. Creating this change is his goal and it also creates his hardest days. Officer Gallegos still plays music, trading in Rap-Metal for Guitar as a way to de-stress. When asked about future goals, Officer Gallegos said that he is a Lifer, and will be "chasing Radio" as long as they let him. He closed our conversation saying: "Anyone can destroy something; It is a gift to be able to change a life for the better."

Sergeant Jim Creasy is 22 year Veteran of the Grand Junction Police Department. Sgt. Creasy finds Excitement and Challenge every day, to dig deeper, find a better understanding and to look out for those who are taken advantage of and to accept what he cannot control. Above all of this Sgt. Creasy says his job is and means to affect positive change to his community, to ”make sure all the RIGHT things happen the best that I can"