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A police chief doesn’t just arrive in a town like Haines, Alaska with a clean slate. Every choice gets remembered, every interaction becomes part of the story, and trust is earned one conversation at a time. That’s why I wanted to sit down with Haines Police Chief Jimmy Yoakum and let you hear the full arc, from where he comes from to how he plans to lead.

Jimmy opens up about growing up in Tennessee, learning in junior high that he was adopted, and the complicated mix of curiosity and peace that comes with searching for biological family. From there we follow a career that spans ROTC, Army intelligence, the messy reality of post-9/11 activations, and decades in law enforcement during a period when policing culture, community expectations, and public scrutiny all changed fast. He also shares the surprising detour into teaching criminal justice, where phones and AI tools collide with student motivation and what “real learning” even means now.

We get practical about what leadership looks like in the Haines Police Department today: body cameras and transparency, tightening report writing for courtroom credibility, reviewing policies and evidence procedures, improving communications tech, and building better intelligence ties to address narcotics and potential trafficking concerns in Southeast Alaska. Then the conversation turns personal again as Jimmy explains how faith informs his work, what “grace” means when you still have to enforce the law, and why he dreams of creating nature-based trauma retreats for veterans and first responders using dogs, horses, and the outdoors.

Subscribe, share this with a friend in Haines or anywhere, and leave a review if this conversation gives you something to think about. What part of Jimmy’s story hit you the hardest?

Episode 18: Jimmy Yoakum; What If Policing Started With Grace Instead Of Force