Jim Thorburn of Livonia, Mich., a decorated police officer whose law enforcement career spanned nearly 30 years, accepted Northern Michigan University's Alumni Achievement Award during a 125th anniversary Homecoming celebration. He was a two-time Police Officer of the Year, and retired in 2022 as a detective and public information officer for the Allen Park Police Department. It was in the latter role that he helped to bridge the divide between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Thorburn relied on a multi-faceted approach to humanize those behind the badge. He developed a successful social media footprint on Facebook that combined humor and fun with helpful information to personalize the department and make police officers more relatable. He also took crime prevention meetings that suffered from low attendance out of City Hall and into area neighborhoods. The positive response led him to create and trademark the “Cop on the Block” community-building program.
“The ‘Cop on the Block' meetings provide crime prevention tips and crime stats for particular neighborhoods,” Thorburn said at the awards luncheon. “They also address current police incidents, providing truth and clarity you don't get from a six-second video on social media. The meetings and side conversations afterward are great, but it's even better if you have an everyday connection.”
For most people, interactions with police officers occur at stressful times, such as during a traffic stop or after an accident or crime. Thorburn strives to create a non-stress environment that enables people to get to know each other through positive interactions. “It's important to have relationships outside your department and it's important to establish relationships with people who don't look like you. It gives officers a broader perspective,” he said in a media story.
Self-admittedly, Thorburn had a poor GPA in high school. While his friends were being accepted by universities, he was on the receiving end of rejection letters based on his grades. At a loss for where to turn next, Thorburn decided to research Northern Michigan University, which he was vaguely familiar with through summer vacations in the Upper Peninsula. He was relieved to discover NMU's “right to try” policy, which gave all students the opportunity to pursue a college education, regardless of past academic performance.
“I was thrilled, and Northern provided all the resources I needed to succeed,” Thorburn added. “I learned how to be a student after completing my first semester, proudly achieving a 2.8 GPA. I graduated with a 3.4 overall, and I was on the Dean's List numerous times. The campus and its community felt like home, instilling in me a deep sense of belonging. I attribute a significant portion of my achievements as a police officer to the solid foundation laid here at NMU. It's clear that without the opportunity and support I received at Northern back in 1987, would not be receiving this award today.”
After earning his bachelor's degree in law enforcement from NMU in 1991, Thorburn started his police career as a patrol officer. He once responded to an accident on I-94 in which a car had burst into flames and the driver and her son were thrown from the vehicle, but survived. A baby was strapped in a car seat inside. Some officers thought the young boy was dead, but Thorburn and others—including a doctor who stopped at the scene—administered life-saving CPR. The boy's father went to the department years later with his son's high school senior photos to show his gratitude for their heroic rescue.
“Throughout his career, Thorburn demonstrated unwavering professionalism and integrity in all aspects of his work,” stated a media story on his retirement. “He approached every situation with a calm and level-headed demeanor, earning the respect and admiration of his colleagues and the community he served. His dedication to upholding the law and ensuring the safety of others was evident in everything he did, making him a trusted and respected member of the Allen Park Police Department.”
In addition to his tongue-in-cheek approach on Facebook, Thorburn embraced creativity and orchestrated numerous engaging community events.
“We had a cop donut-eating competition that drew representation from over 21 police departments across metro Detroit and generated $10,000 for Autism awareness. And during a series of snowstorms a few winters back, everybody was locked in. I coordinated a sledding event with participation from over 20 police departments, resulting in remarkable $11,000 raised for charity. The most fulfilling part was witnessing countless kids sliding alongside officers down the hill.”
Since retiring, Thorburn remains connected to his passion by educating law enforcement agencies about the power of social media community engagement. He and his wife, Fox 2 Detroit reporter Jessica Dupnack, also team-teach scenario-based training programs for police on how to more effectively work with the media through Police Technical.
“It's all about spreading positivity, making a meaningful impact, and helping to solve crimes,” he said. “Police should do more outreach to residents, have fun and become ambassadors to their city. Create an environment where people might actually think of moving to your city because it has a fun and caring police department. That's not very typical, but it sure should be.”
NMU Alumni Relations invites nominations for its annual awards program. For more information, visit nmu.edu/alumni/awards, email alumni@nmu.edu or call 906-227-2610.