The City of Overland Park is proud to announce the hire of Doreen Jokerst as the city’s next Chief of Police.
Jokerst comes to Overland Park from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she served for six years as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police, guiding her department to become the first nationally accredited police department in Boulder County, Colorado.
City Manager Lori Curtis Luther announced Jokerst’s hire after hearing from community organizations, neighborhood groups, Overland Park police officers and the community at large about their priorities for the next chief.
“Doreen brings vast experience to our team, with service and expertise in a variety of policing roles. She is a lifelong learner and leader in modern, progressive community policing practices,” said Luther. “I am confident her leadership and focus on inclusivity will improve our department, and our community, in the future.”
Jokerst joined the University of Colorado Boulder as its chief of police in the fall of 2018. While there, she implemented innovative technology changes including transparency dashboards and collaborated with the university community to build public safety functions into new areas to improve student safety.
“Overland Park is an outstanding city with a premier police department, and I’m excited to work collaboratively with the community and all members of the organization,” said Jokerst. “I am eager to begin working with our officers and the community, and to call Overland Park home.”
Prior to serving at the university, Jokerst spent nearly 20 years at the Parker, Colorado Police Department, rising to the rank of commander.
She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Leadership for Educational Equity, Higher Education, a master’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Jokerst and her family will live in Overland Park. Her first day with the City will be in October.
The Chief of Police leads a department of 330 full-time employees, including 280 sworn officers.
The Police Department’s professional staff specialize in community policing, crisis intervention, school resources, investigations, tactical support and more.
To learn more about the Overland Park Police Department, visit opkansas.org/Police.