Meet your new police chief

Janeé Harteau sees role of chief as that of a parent

by Tesha M. Christensen

Minneapolis’ first female police chief didn’t set out to hold the highest position in the city’s police department.

“Little girls don’t generally grow up wanting to be police officers, let alone the police chief,” Janeé Harteau pointed out.

Her goal, instead, was to be really good at whatever position she held. As Assistant Chief to Chief Tim Dolan from 2010-2012, “I was just trying to be a really good assistant chief,” said Harteau, who is openly gay.

In hindsight, Harteau sees how all of her past experiences over the last 26 years prepared her to be chief.

“Looking back now, I can clearly see I was meant to sit in this chair,” she said.

Her past positions include working as a patrol officer on the street, hostage negotiator, SWAT team member, supervisor on the Street, Narcotics, Organized Crime and the Gang Unit, commander of the Crime Lab, inspector of the First Precinct in downtown Minneapolis, and Deputy Chief of the Patrol Bureau. She was the first president of the SafeZone collaborative and helped create of the Downtown Courtwatch Program. Early in her career, Harteau and former patrol partner Holly Keegel filed a discrimination and sexual harassment complaint against the Minneapolis Police Department that led to changes in policy and training, plus disciplinary action against several officers.

“Every experience gave me the insight, skills, and fortitude I need,” Harteau observed.

ROLE OF CHIEF THAT OF PARENT

Harteau is one of only three other women leading major city police departments in the United States right now; the others are Kimberly Jacobs in Columbus, Ohio, and Cynthia Lanier in Washington, D.C.  The total number of female police chiefs in the United States is not high, at only 2%, according to the Center on Women and Policing. In Minnesota, only 11 of 342 police chiefs are women. Despite being in a profession dominated by men, Harteau does not try to act like a man, but instead stays true to herself.

“I have the eye of an eagle and the heart of a lion,” she noted.

Harteau is quick to recognize that each decision she makes has a human impact, and thus she doesn’t decide anything lightly.

“I see the role the role of chief as that of a parent,” Harteau said. She knows that not everyone will agree with all of her decisions, but she works hard to be accountable, operating on the principle that “sometimes a little explanation goes a long way.”

Calling herself a “futurist,” Harteau stated, “I see this department five years from now and how good we are.”

Some people question: if things are working well now, why not leave it be? “If you don’t nurture it, it won’t continue to be good,” Harteau observed. Because of that, she has focused on training since taking over the department. In early February, days off were cancelled so that all staff could attend a two-day training session focused on law enforcement practices. As part of the training were her guidelines for commitment, integrity and transparency, part of the path to what she labels the Minneapolis Police Department 2.0. The last major training initiative at the police department was in 1997, and it was focused on new technology.

Harteau is proud of the department as it is now, pointing out, “We’re trendsetters nationally in a lot of ways.” Hot spot policing tracks emerging trends and patterns, and randomized patrols ensure that officers go through a problem area in 15-minute intervals.

Harteau aims to “get cops out of cars and bring a beat philosophy to neighborhoods.” She recognizes that no one knows their neighborhood better than the people who live there, and she wants to engage their help to understand crime trends and manage problems.

Sharing information on the positive things officers are doing is also important to Harteau, who plans to use social media to accomplish that goal.

A PEOPLE-BASED JOB

After graduating from Duluth Denfield in 1982, Harteau, who is of French Canadian and American Indian heritage, entered a medical secretary program, but quickly learned it wasn’t for her. “I knew I wanted to be more than an office worker,” she explained. She heard about the two-year law enforcement program at Hibbing Community College and enrolled there. Harteau joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 1987, and has been here ever since, working her way up the ranks.

Harteau values police work for its connection to people. “I can’t think of a job more people-based than policing,” she observed.

Officers see both perpetrators and victims, and often work with people at their worst. How does she keep from getting cynical? “When the tragedies occur, I’ve always focused on the good things,” Harteau explained, such as the victims she can help. She reminds herself that she sees only a small percentage of the population that is bad. She makes sure that she has friends outside of law enforcement to give her perspective. And she spends time with her 14-year-old daughter.

Harteau also makes time to give back to her community. She currently volunteers at Youthlink, a non-profit that serves homeless youth; and Cornerhouse, which provides resources for abused children.

MINNEAPOLIS IS HOME

Minneapolis “feels like home” to Harteau. She’s had the option of leaving many times over the past 26 years, but could never say goodbye to the Minneapolis community. “I like the mix here,” she explained. “I like the department. We’re a much more educated department here than in other cities.” Only Minnesota and California require that their peace officers earn at least an associates of arts degree.

Education is a priority to Harteau, who earned a bachelor’s degree in police science and a master of arts in public safety administration, both from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from St. Mary’s in March 2013. She is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute of Police in Boston, Mass. and the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety’s Police Staff and Command School where she was the Franklin Kreml Leadership Award winner.

Harteau is not only a student, but also a teacher. She currently trains law enforcement leaders nationally for Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety and is an Assistant Professor at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in the School of Police Science.

A frequent traveler because of her teaching role, Harteau is always excited on the return flight when she sees the Minneapolis skyline. It’s a view she loves, and when it comes into view Harteau knows she’s home. “There’s not much you have to leave for,” she observed. In particular, she values Minneapolis for its arts and culture.

HARTEAU UNPLUGGED

When she’s not working, Harteau stresses “unplugging” from technology. She and her life partner, Holly Keegel (a sergeant with the Minneapolis Police Department), disconnect from their own cell phones (Harteau has two). They have not yet gotten a cell phone for their 14-year-old daughter Lauren, and Harteau tells her that someday Lauren will thank her for it.

“I want her to stay engaged in the moment,” explained Harteau. She doesn’t think that can happen when people are “hyper-engaged” in text-messaging, Instagram, and Facebook at the same time.

With two parents on the police force, it isn’t surprising that Harteau’s daughter is considering a career in police work, too.

Harteau stated, “It would be cool if she was walking in the door when I was walking out.”