We introduced our readers to Sgt. Don Jensen last summer in an article about the Milwaukee Police Department's Harbor Unit Patrol. At the time, the 25-year veteran of the force was fast approaching retirement. Now, with just days until he turns in his badge, the quiet but introspective officer is looking back on how law enforcement has changed in Milwaukee -- both as a job and how it relates to community.

We caught up with "Boots" Jensen the day he reluctantly signed the papers that would make his mandatory retirement official. It's an emotional moment for Jensen, and even though he didn't really have a choice, he joked about having second thoughts.

Fortunately for Milwaukee, Jensen, 53, isn't planning on spending his retirement on a fishing boat. Instead, he'll continue to work hard on the water safety projects he helped pioneer. In fact, while this interview was supposed to recap of an impressive career, Jensen came prepared with water and ice safety handouts.

Here's the story of a cop who's ready to say farewell to the MPD -- but one who's not done helping Milwaukee.

OMC: What's next for Don Jensen?

Jensen: Everybody always says they want to spend more time with their wife and their grandkids. I also want to continue teaching part-time at a motorcycle school. Quite a few of the committees I've sat on over the years have asked me to stay on as a ad-hoc member for input. And of course the "Learn To Swim" program, that's on the top of my list. I've already talked to the Boys and Girls Club, and we're on the same page about going out and giving talks about water safety. Last year, 160 kids got swimming lessons at county pools. I don't want to just fade off.

OMC: How did you start the swimming program?

DJ: The drowning of the two boys (Quadrevion Henning and Purvis Virginia Parker) was the catalyst that got me going. That night when I was driving up to the drowning scene, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was playing on the classical station. It was a full moon; I'll never forget that. As I was pulling up I was thinking, "Man, there's got to be something better to life." After we pulled the kids out, they were laying there on the tarp. I was looking at them thinking, "There's got to me more that I can do than this." What can I do to prevent drowning, to give information to kids about being safe around water, whether it be a pond, a beach, a river, a creek?

OMC: Being a cop is much more than a job for you, isn't? You take the community service part very seriously.

DJ: Yes. Now, I shouldn't retire (laughing)! The reason I'm conflicted is because I really enjoy doing what I'm doing, but I know that there are things I physically can't do any more. It's 25 and out.

OMC: In 25 years, you've seen a lot of change in this department. What's better? What's worse?

DJ: Do you have an hour? When I first came on the job, it was much different. In 1982, you went to the police academy for the same amount of time as you do now, but the equipment wasn't as good. You didn't have bulletproof vests. You didn't have pepper spray or short batons or the handguns we have now. If the talking didn't work and if you got into a scuffle with someone, you had to use you brawn. It's a lot safer now. The squads are air-conditioned now. Back then, you rolled down two windows and went 20 miles per hour, because the chief at the time said if you had air, you couldn't hear the things going on outside your window.

I worked under Harold Breier, Robert Ziarnik, Chief (Phillip) Arreola, Chief (Art) Jones and Chief (Nan) Hegerty. That's five chiefs. I think that the community has a better pipeline to the upper floor than it did years ago because people are more receptive to ideas about perceptions of the police department. When I first came on, it was "my way or the highway." You didn't really have much of an interaction. Now, people can call and express their ideas to the chief.

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