Doreen Jokerst

Doreen Jokerst is the Chief of Police at the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department. She currently leads a department of approximately ninety employees where she has implemented innovative and community-based policing strategies. She strives to build positive relations with the University and Boulder community and has brought forth new policing programs, resulting in effective policing efforts.

Prior to her appointment she served as a police commander in a Denver-metro suburb police department. She held a supervisory position in all major components of this organization to include Patrol, Investigations, the Office of Professional Standards and Support Services. She has commanded several critical incidents ensuring life safety priorities were at the forefront.

 She holds a master's degree in psychology and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. She has successfully completed the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, the Senior Management Institute for Police course, and the FBI National Academy.

Doreen believes building and maintaining positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders is critical in law enforcement, while ensuring fair and impartial policing. She has a successful, proven and well documented track record of working with sworn and civilian employees, community leaders, citizens, and advocacy groups to find common ground in order to build consensus and solve organizational and community problems.

My advice to students...

• Career diversification- Took on the less than favorable assignments and yielded the biggest growth moments.
• Networking-Have a peer and support system both in and out of the field
• Asked for help-Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength. 
• Lead by example
• Surround yourself with people who have strengths that you do not, and learn and grow
• Great communication starts with listening. Learn to be an empathetic listener.
• I think throughout my career I have had amazing leaders and some not so great. Everyone was a learning opportunity for me to take in.
• I always wanted to “be the leader I wished I had.” So, if something didn’t go right, I would tell myself, “If I am ever successful and fortunate enough to be promoted, I will not do that, or I would not speak to someone that way.
• I always knew to Never be afraid to learn new things-Change is uncomfortable, but true growth comes when you are uncomfortable.