The Jefferson Police Department recently hired its seventh officer.

Trevor Hansen was approved by the City Council at the June 25th meeting as the newest police officer. The 2022 Carroll High School graduate also has an associate degree in criminal justice from Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny and recently worked as a jailer in the Polk County Jail for 1.5 years. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio one of the main reasons for going into a law enforcement career was from when he grew up with domestic violence. Hansen explains why he chose Jefferson to be an officer.

“But what really drove me in is the small town environment, knowing certain people over, and over, and over again and seeing what kind of relationships we can build here. Over at the Polk County Jail it was constantly fluxing people in and out. You never see them again or you see them a ton of times. But here, we can slow it down and try to make good relationships and see what we can do for the people here.”  

Since Hansen started on July 8th he emphasizes the welcoming environment he has experienced with the other officers and the staff of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. He shares what he is looking forward to the most as he begins his law enforcement career in Jefferson.

“I’m excited to see what I can do, see how I can make peoples’ lives better, and just be a positive impact on the community, and keep relations high. So that’s what I’m excited for.”    

Hansen’s starting salary is $60,341 and because he has a criminal justice degree, Hansen will attend the short, ten-week academy at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in January.