Summer 2026 Shakopee Snapshot

20 years serving Shakopee Jamie Pearson named Police Chief

Throughout her career, Pearson’s professional development has remained a priority. In 2024, she graduated from Northwestern Uni versity’s School of Police Staff and Command and earned her Basic Emergency Manage ment Certificate. These achievements reflect a continued focus on strengthening her lead ership skills and preparing for the complex challenges facing modern law enforcement. She has also been a longstanding advocate for treatment-based alternatives within the jus tice system. Since 2007, she has served as the law enforcement liaison for the Scott County Treatment Court, helping connect individuals with resources and support as they navigate the court process. Pearson’s involvement has expanded at the state level, where she was appointed in 2024 to the Statewide Treatment Court Committee and served as a subcommittee lead. She has also contributed as a Community Corrections Advisory Board member and, in 2025, became a Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Ini tiative (PAARI) Pro, further supporting addic tion recovery initiatives. At the heart of her work is a commitment to building strong relationships within the com munity and fostering partnerships that sup port long-term safety and well-being. “I look forward to leading this exceptional team while thoughtfully navigating the con tinued growth of our community,” Pearson said.

Shakopee’s new police chief brings nearly two decades of experience with the Shako pee Police Department, along with a steady, community-centered approach to leadership. Chief Jamie Pearson joined the department in 2006 after earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from St. Cloud State Univer sity and completing the Law Enforcement Skills Program at Alexandria Technical College. Over the years, she has taken on a wide range of roles, including patrol officer, D.A.R.E. officer, field training officer, explorer advisor, investigator, patrol sergeant, inves tigations sergeant, captain, and now as Sha kopee’s first female police chief. Each step in Pearson’s career has contributed to a leader ship style grounded in accountability, col laboration, and public service. “After serving the Shakopee community for the past 20 years, it is a tremendous honor to step into the role of Chief,” Pearson said. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue working alongside this community, building on the extraordinary efforts to keep Shakopee a safe, welcoming, and exceptional place to live and visit.” Pearson is known for her ability to lead com plex investigations, guide multidisciplinary teams, and implement policing strategies that emphasize trust and transparency. Her expe rience includes crisis management, policy development, and budget oversight, as well as building strong partnerships with other agen cies to enhance community safety.

How Can I Help You? Meet Amanda Schwabe, who works as a Planner in the Planning and Development Department. Q: What do you do for the City? A: Think of me as a translator between your ideas and the rules that keep our city running smoothly. Whether someone wants to create a new subdivision, open a commercial space, or put up a fence, I review those plans to make sure they align with the City Code. I also draft ordinances that propose new or updated regulations, which then go before bodies like the Planning Commission and City Council. Q: What do you enjoy about working for the City? A: This community has so much going on! We have exciting development, great outdoor spaces, a diverse housing landscape, and I get a front-row seat to all of it. I love that I can be working with a large scale development one day and helping a family think through a home addition the next. Watching a project go from a concept on paper to something you can actually walk through or drive past never gets old for me. Q: What’s the best part of your job? A: The people, without a doubt. I enjoy the team I work with and the community members I get to serve. There’s something really satisfying about sitting across from someone who feels overwhelmed by the process and helping them find a path forward. When we can get a project completed in a way that works for the applicant and benefits the broader neighborhood, that’s the sweet spot. That’s why I do this work.

NEWS & NOTES NEW EMPLOYEES JOIN CITY STAFF Join us in welcoming these new employees to the City of Shakopee:

■ Ryan Fitzgerald , Fire Battalion Chief ■ Tyler Moyna , Fire Battalion Chief ■ Ryan Seykora , Fire Captain ■ Macauley Bartells , Fire Fighter ■ Kylee Breeggemann , Fire Fighter ■ Dalton Burns , Fire Fighter ■ Brandon Busch , Fire Fighter ■ Joshua DeWall , Fire Fighter ■ Andrew Duitsman , Fire Fighter

■ Liam Dutton , Fire Fighter ■ Shawn Lovejoy , Fire Fighter ■ Mark Olson , Fire Fighter ■ Samuel Peterson , Fire Fighter ■ Zachary Schwaesdal , Fire Fighter ■ Tony Truony , Fire Fighter ■ Isaiah Brambilla , Police Officer ■ Mitchell Cunningham , Police Officer ■ CJ Harrison , Communications Specialist

Summer 2026 5