Officer Jim Hansen, Lincon Park go-to-guy, will soon have new assignment

By Pam Kleinschmidt
The people of District 25 are saying goodbye to a cherished partner next month. Effecive January 1, Officer James Hansen will leave his Community Oriented Policing position for another within the Duluth Police Department due to a new rotation policy implemented by Chief Ramsay and designed to give more officers time in this valuable role.

Officer Hansen is a self-described neighborhood police officer and as such has been the go-to guy during his 13 years in Lincoln Park. The people of our district have gone to him for his help in solving public safety issues, including domestic problems, neighbor trouble, blighted property issues, building safety problems, drug traffic, and both petty and major crimes. He has handled his responsibilities impressively and leaves his successor with some major projects to continue, such as a reduction in calls for service to the Seaway Hotel and Curly’s Bar.

The Lincoln Park Citizen Patrol group, a creation of Officer Hansen’s, has become a successful community resource. Volunteers from the LPCP staff the Lincoln Park Substation to assist the public three days a week, effectively reopening the location. With direction from Officer Hansen, the LPCP has provided regular car and foot patrols in the district, adults to monitor the safety of children going to and from school, maintenance of bus shelters, litter pickup, Adopt a Park Program assistance and most recently, community liaisons to the residents on West 2nd Street in the aftermath of a brutal assault on National Night Out. The group currently has over 70 members.

Officer Hansen leaves his position as COP having achieved many positive accomplishments in Lincoln Park. When I asked him the one thing that meant the most to him in his career he replied, “I have had the chance to meet so many people in my 25 years as a police officer, but it is those last 13 years working as the Neighborhood Officer in Lincoln Park that I had the opportunity to build relationships.” Not only has he invested himself in serving the folks of our district, he is also is a business owner in Lincoln Park. Great Lakes Laundry and Wanda’s Hair Salon are two businesses through which he has contributed toward the revitalization of the area.
Officer Hansen is prepared to go on to a new but unnamed challenge with the DPD and we know he’ll continue on to serve the city with renewed commitment and enthusiasm.