SECURING THE AREA
Sergeant Robert Jacobs has served nearly three decades with the Downers Grove Police Department
There’s something about being from a place, especially if you choose to stay in that place and raise your family—just ask Sergeant Robert Jacobs of the Downers Grove Police Department (DGPD). After having grown up in town and serving almost three decades with the DGPD (33 years of law enforcement in total), Jacobs is not only a familiar face around town but also a reminder of the trust and respect we have for our local police force.
Each year, the second full week of May marks National Police Week, a time to pause and remember fallen officers, as well as offer thanks and recognition to those currently serving.
Sergeant Jacobs’ family moved to town in the mid-70s. He grew up here and attended Downers Grove South High School. Now, at 29 years of being a local policeman, Jacobs said he was glad he had chosen to come back here and live and work in the town in which he grew up. “It all came full circle, and I’m so glad it did,” he said.
Jacobs attended Augustana College in Rock Island. With initial aspirations to become a dentist, he ended up finishing with a business degree. A few years after graduation, a friend talked him into taking the police test.
“Like everyone else, I began as a patrolman, where I served my probationary time,” Jacobs relayed. “I started my career in Indian Head Park, where I served four years before coming to Downers Grove. But the beginning is tough anywhere. You’re answering 911 calls and learning how to react to all kinds of situations.”
Shortly after, Jacobs was trained as an evidence technician. That aspect of the job includes working on various types of crime scenes to collect fingerprints and blood samples. “Once an officer is certified, they’re put on call,” said Jacobs. “So, you might get called to work a crime scene in the middle of the night.”
“The thing I like most about law enforcement is that it’s never the same job two days in a row. That and knowing you can contribute to the community in a meaningful way are what makes it all worthwhile.”
– SERGEANT ROBERT JACOBS, DGPD
As new officers graduate from the Police Academy, they are hired by individual police departments. From there, they are paired with field training officers, who serve as mentors. More experienced police people offer advice and counsel as a new hire learns the job. This is another program in which Jacobs has been involved for most of his career. “Field training officers impart their knowledge while walking new police officers through the steps they need to take to enforce the law in particular scenarios,” said Jacobs. “I now enjoy running and supervising that program.”
At one time, DGPD sponsored a community policing unit. Nine officers oversaw two resource centers in town. The group ran after-school programs, mainly for underserved local grade school students, that offered a safe space for kids to get help with homework from tutors, have a snack, and basically be finished with any academic obligations by the time they were picked up by their parents. The program also saw the DGPD partner with businesses, such as Home Depot, who donated materials as the officers taught the kids to make improvements by
working on properties around town.
“I still hear from kids now who went on to become professionals. They reach back out and tell me how they’re doing and how much that program helped them,” Jacobs remembered with a smile. “To have made an impact on a kid’s life in that way and have had the opportunity to be a positive figure in their lives has been one of the best things about this job.”
At this point in time, there aren’t many departmental aspects of which Jacobs hasn’t been a part. Over the years, several serious situations have required SWAT Team intervention. “I’ve never had to shoot at anybody, but I have been threatened with weapons myself a few times,” he said. “In those circumstances, you’re forced to make decisions based on the behavior that’s going on in that moment. We always try to de-escalate a situation before using any other means.”
Crisis intervention is another aspect of the job that has escalated quite a bit over the past decade, with mental health having become a much greater issue since the time Jacobs started his career. DGPD gets calls relevant to this issue almost daily. Fortunately, the department has created a collaboration with Good Samaritan Hospital to work through situations that involve mental health issues. “It’s definitely a new challenge for a new frontier that honestly evolves every day,” Jacobs relayed. “Fortunately, we are able to partner with the village social worker as well to be sure people in this situation are able to get the continuing care they need.”
There are so many things the police do to keep us safe and improve the community. But to our local blue-blooded officers like Sergeant Jacobs, it’s all in a day’s work. “We like to think we keep the blanket pulled up right around your neck at night, so you feel safe and don’t have to worry about a thing,” he said.
Downers Grove Magazine takes its hat off to our hometown police department in recognition of the sacrifices made daily by this dedicated group of citizens. For the time you put in and the offenders you take out, we offer our thanks and respect.
