The Ledger

By Becky Holland

When Cochran Police Chief Jeff Trawick walks into a room, people notice.

Part of it is the uniform. Part of it is the confidence that comes from a career spent in the Marine Corps and law enforcement. But spend a few minutes talking with him, and another side emerges—one that cares deeply about people, enjoys getting lost in a good book, spends time on a tractor tending a garden and has a favorite chicken named Bernadette.

For Trawick, serving others has never simply been a job. It’s a calling that has guided him from military service to law enforcement and, eventually, to Cochran, where he has served as chief of police for the past six and a half years.

A Dodge County native who grew up in the Roddy community, Trawick said a life of service was modeled for him at an early age. His father served in the United States Marine Corps, and following in those footsteps felt natural.

Trawick went on to build a career in the Marines, a chapter of his life he still speaks of with pride.

When his military service ended, however, he faced a question many veterans encounter: what comes next?

After earning a degree in criminal justice from Reinhardt College, he found the answer in law enforcement and joined the Eastman Police Department.

What followed was a 30-plus-year career in law enforcement, one marked by service, leadership and a desire to help others.

That career eventually brought him to Cochran, a community he has called home for roughly three decades.

Today, he leads the Cochran Police Department with a focus not only on serving the public but also on supporting the officers and staff who serve alongside him.

“It may sound cliché, but I really do love helping people,” Trawick said.

That desire to help others remains at the heart of how he views the profession.

“People are often going through the worst day of their lives, and for us it’s a Tuesday,” he said. “We try to make it better for them.”

Over the years, Trawick has seen both the best and worst of humanity. He has witnessed tragedy, loss and difficult situations most people never experience firsthand. Yet he has also seen resilience, redemption and lives changed for the better.

One of his favorite stories dates back to the early years of his career.

During his first year and a half on the job, Trawick unexpectedly found himself helping deliver a baby.

“A beautiful little girl,” he recalled with a laugh. “I don’t know who was more scared, the mother or me.”

The memory still makes him smile.

Years later, another encounter left an equally lasting impression.

While stopping at a gas station, a man approached him and thanked him for arresting him 15 years earlier.

The comment caught Trawick off guard.

The man explained that being arrested had forced him to change the direction of his life. What had seemed like a negative experience at the time ultimately became a turning point.

For Trawick, it was a reminder that actions taken in the line of duty can have impacts far beyond a single day.

While residents know him as chief of police, those closest to him know a man whose interests stretch far beyond law enforcement.

Trawick is married and the father of three children. In his spare time, he enjoys riding motorcycles, teaching firearm classes, farming and gardening.

He also keeps chickens.

Among them is Bernadette, his favorite.

“She acts more like a pet than a chicken,” he said.

Trawick is also an avid reader. Shelves filled with books line his home, and when he starts a good book, he tends to become completely immersed in it.

Faith is another cornerstone of his life.

Trawick said prayer plays an important role in both his personal life and professional decisions, providing guidance through challenges and difficult situations.

If he is not at work, chances are he can be found either on his motorcycle enjoying the open road or on a tractor working around the farm.

Looking back, Trawick knows exactly what advice he would give his younger self.

“Get your education early,” he said. “Find something you’d like to do and stick with it.”

Simple advice, perhaps, but advice that reflects the path he chose decades ago.

For all the authority that comes with wearing the badge, there is another side to Chief Jeff Trawick—one that values family, faith, learning and service.

It is a side that can often be seen when he is interacting with children, encouraging a young officer or taking a few extra moments to help someone in need.

Behind the badge is a Marine, a husband, a father, a reader, a farmer and a community leader who believes helping people is still worth the effort.

And after more than three decades of service, that belief remains as strong as ever.