Chief Gareis ready to end career in law enforcement

New Prague Police Chief Jim Gareis will be retiring after a 37-year career in law enforcement at the end of the year. His last day as police chief was Thursday, Dec. 22. Chief Gareis said he’s ready for it.

Gareis thought about how this will be a change for him. “I thought, ‘This is my career I’m giving up,’ but I think I’m ready for that.”

Gareis began his career in the town of Cyrus, which contracted with the town of Kensington for law enforcement, in the summer of 1985. It was under a government program and his hourly pay was $3.85. Gareis explained a full-time officer took a job elsewhere and he interviewed for the position.

“I was hired semi-full-time while I finished school,” he said, adding he was working on his law enforcement degree at what was then Alexandria Technical College.

After graduating, he went to work for the city of Le Sueur in July 1987 and was there for three months.

“I got a call from (New Prague) Chief Dennis Rohloff. I had interviewed with him in January 1987. He said there was an opening and asked if I was interested,” said Gareis. After some talks, he took the job with the New Prague Police Department Oct. 20, 1987.

“I’ve been here the last 35 years,” he said, adding he started as a patrol officer.

At the time Gareis started, New Prague’s police department had a staff of...

To see more on this story pick up the December 29, 2022 print edition of The New Prague Times.