GENESEO, Ill. — A Geneseo detective is being recognized on a statewide level for her work in the community.
Detective Jamie Shoemaker works for the Geneseo Police Department and was recently named 2024's Female Officer of the Year by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) Executive Institute.
Shoemaker and Geneseo PD focus on connecting those in crisis to resources. They also prioritize following up with individuals once they receive help.
"I'm not a psychologist or therapist by any means. I'm a human being," Detective Shoemaker said. "Just so happens I'm a detective and a patrol officer."
Substance abuse struggles hit close to home for the veteran detective.
"My father tragically injected himself with a heroin needle in late 80s and contracted hepatitis C," Shoemaker said. "Hepatitis C turned into cirrhosis. Cirrhosis turned into liver cancer."
Shoemaker admits she was angry at her father for many years following his death. She relied on her Christian faith to forgive him and turn the tragedy into her passion.
"If I could have saved my dad, I would have," she said. "But now I feel like each person that I come in contact with, I feel like it's really important to remember that they are family members of people. They have relatives, and I feel like that helps me personalize it and work my hardest to get them resources."
Deputy Chief Gene Karzin believes Geneseo PD is looking at policing differently now a days.
"We can't just keep arresting people," Karzin said. "We can't just keep going out there writing tickets, it doesn't solve a problem. We're trying to solve a problem and reduce our calls."
"Detective Shoemaker's exceptional dedication to serving our community shines brightly, especially in her remarkable work with mental health and crisis calls," a press release from the department reads.
Shoemaker was chosen for the award by a state-wide committee. She has a decade of experience in law enforcement, with three of those years being in Geneseo. The award will presented in April at the 2024 Women in Criminal Justice Conference.
"We couldn't be prouder of Detective Shoemaker's unwavering commitment to raising mental health awareness on the front lines," Karzin said in the release. "Her compassion and dedication to the Geneseo community are truly inspiring," added Chief Casey Disterhoft.
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