By Satina Tolman
For The New Era
Jennifer Gaspard has worn many uniforms in her career, but the one she puts on today feels like the perfect fit.
After more than two decades in law enforcement, the Sweet Home native has returned to serve her hometown as the Sweet Home Police Department’s new community services officer.
Gaspard, who joined the department in April, said the role feels like a natural continuation of a lifetime of public service.
“I started out in state corrections, then worked for the Linn County Sheriff’s Office for nine years in corrections,” she said. “After that, I worked in Deschutes County in both corrections and patrol, then came back to the valley to work with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission as a regulatory specialist for five years.
I retired in March but decided I still wanted to work part-time. This position opened up, and it just fit perfectly.”
A 1992 graduate of Sweet Home High School, Gaspard grew up surrounded by law enforcement. Her father served as a deputy sheriff and later worked in the state corrections system. He tried to steer her toward a different path, but she said she was drawn to the work she had grown up around.
As a community services officer, Gaspard’s job looks different every day. The position serves as a bridge between the police department and the public, a role that encompasses everything from assisting individuals in accessing rehabilitation services to organizing local community events.
“We’re kind of a jack-of-all-trades,” Gaspard said. “We help out within our capacity, and we’re pretty open to doing a lot of different things if necessary.”
Gaspard and her colleague, Sean Morgan, work side by side in the role, sharing responsibilities that range from community outreach to addressing homelessness.
“When I met her, she was clearly intelligent and professional,” Morgan said. “She’s shown herself to be highly confident, a problem solver with a terrific work ethic. She jumps in and gets it done. She likes to stay busy and brings great insight from her experience in law enforcement.”
Gaspard said she enjoys that her current role allows her to focus on the positive side of police work.
“When you’re a sworn officer, you deal with a lot of the negativity sometimes,” she said. “In this position, I get to have great interactions with the community and do a lot of the fun activities. I get to raffle off bikes to kids and make people happy. I feel like I get the good part of it now.”
Still, the work can be challenging, especially when it comes to helping those experiencing homelessness.
“You want people to get themselves into better situations and help them help themselves, but it’s a struggle,” Gaspard said. “It’s kind of like the ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink’ situation. You see the struggle, and you just want better for them. Sometimes I don’t think they can see that in themselves.”
Her compassion and persistence have paid off. Morgan recalled returning from vacation to find that one woman they had both been trying to help had finally agreed to enter treatment — a breakthrough he credited to Gaspard’s ability to connect.
“She got through to her,” Morgan said. “That was a big deal because this person had been at the top of my priority list for a long time.”
Despite the frustrations that can come with the job, Gaspard said she’s learned to focus on the successes.
“It’s few and far between, but when they make it, they make it,” she said.
Beyond outreach, Gaspard has quickly become a driving force behind community events. She and Morgan organized this year’s National Night Out in downtown Sweet Home — the first one in many years — and were thrilled with the turnout.
“People really seemed to enjoy themselves,” she said. “It was a pretty big success.”
The duo also volunteered at the Oregon Jamboree, something that Morgan has done for years and Gaspard joined this year. They also plan to continue hosting community gatherings, including the upcoming Halloween candy giveaway, the Sharing Tree program for local teens, Shop with a Cop for Christmas, and the department’s annual safety fair.
“In this time, bringing people together and having them connect is big,” Gaspard said. “Divisiveness is so problematic. I like to see events where the community can get to know each other and realize that we need to take care of each other.”
Gaspard said the community’s response to the new community services program has been overwhelmingly positive. She believes the position plays an essential role in showing the public that law enforcement isn’t just about enforcement — it’s also about support and prevention.
“We’re in a unique position,” she said. “We’re not the enforcement part of the department; we’re more of the support. Through education and outreach, we can connect people to services and keep them out of the enforcement side. Not everything has to do with punishment. Our role is also to help people find the resources they need.”
That philosophy extends to the department’s volunteer efforts. Gaspard encourages residents to get involved wherever they can.
“We’re short on volunteers,” she said. “If you’d like to get involved with the police department or in the community, we’re always looking for help. It makes a huge impact.”
Morgan said having Gaspard on board has made a noticeable difference — both in the department and in the community.
“She’s taken so much off my plate,” he said. “Now that there are two of us, we can be in two places at once and get twice as much done.”
For Gaspard, that teamwork and the chance to serve her hometown make the long days worthwhile.
“There’s a lot of good being done here,” she said. “You might not always see it, but it’s happening every day. I think it’s hugely important to get involved and do as much as you can. It really does make a difference.”