It’s getting near weed-measuring time for dogcatchers.
Think that sounds odd?
Just ask Gretchen Gordanier, who carried her yardstick right along with her gun. Or she did until recently retiring after 27 years as a dogcatcher in Edgewater.
Today, dogcatchers are really code enforcement officers or community service officers in charge of enforcing the city codes, one of which concerns weeds.
Before a weed is a weed, it has to be 12 inches high. You also have to take into consideration the saying that “what is a weed to some may be a flower to others.” That can sometimes cause disharmony, but Gordanier was good at her job, which included cajoling the guilty for not mowing or pulling down their weeds.
In Gordanier’s case, at least, because she has a heart as big as an ironweed in full bloom, she sometimes helped senior citizens pull weeds.
In addition to measuring weeds, she reported trash pile-ups, reported junk cars or those sitting unlicensed, picked up dead birds, and, oh, yes, caught dogs or turned in those without a leash.
Truly devoted to her job, Gordanier patrolled every alley and every street in the town of Edgewater every single day. After almost 30 years, Gordanier has many stories. Some are humorous, some are funny, some are dangerous, some are all of the above.
Police work is in her blood, as well as the entire Gordanier family. She is a descendant of Edgewater Police Chief Bob Gordanier, who was well known and highly respected over the entire county. Coming from Kansas in the late 1940s, he served until 1979. All of his family, children and grandchildren inherited his respect and love for police work.
Daughter, Gretchen, said it made her father very proud that his family had followed in his footsteps.
Gretchen, after working part time in Animal Control and being sworn in as a certified police officer (she trained through the Arapahoe Sheriff’s department), became full time in 1981.
Her brothers, Robert and Randy, are in police work as is her son, Troy, who since sixth grade said he wanted to be a policeman “just like grandpa.” He never once changed his mind. Now daughter Wendy also is preparing to enter the field.
Though they may live and work in other towns, the Gordaniers think of Edgewater as home, the town where they grew up, went to school and have long-term friends. Gretchen said she will really miss not seeing the people as often as when she was on patrol. She lives in Lakeside.
She always has liked animals and most generally they like her. An example of their amiability: One time she saw a dog sitting on the curb at the corner of West. 26th Avenue and Benton Street. So she stopped and got out of her van and said, “What are you doing here?” The dog seemed quite happy to get in the van with her. He had on a collar, so she took him home. The next day, there sat the dog again in the same spot. She just opened the door and he hopped in. She said to him, “I know what you want. You want a ride around the city.”
So she took him with her for a while, and he seemed to enjoy himself. Then she took him home again. When finding the owner at home, she told they should keep him on leash. Everyone was happy; well, maybe not the dog so much.
Her own dog, Rusty, which recently died, was a Doberman. Gordanier said she is not afraid of Dobermans, but they can once in a while turn on you unexpectedly.
Her real fear is pit bulls. Pit bulls were bred in this country for fighting dogs and that gene remains in them today, making them unpredictable and often savage. She said when she ran into a pit bull, she immediately called for another officer.
“If they get a clamp on you, they don’t let go, and sometimes their jaws have to be pried apart,” she said.
Another rather awesome critter is the raccoon. The little ones are cute; the big ones are not! And, then there is the skunk. And the foxes, the latter giving the least trouble.
She urges people to not leave food out and not be feeding animals such as foxes or raccoons and such. The city is urban enough there are no bears – yet; or deer – yet. Since the town sits on the west side of Sloan’s Lake, it is only natural the most commonly seen are the many ducks and geese. They usually nest away from the shore and walkway around the lake, preferring neighboring yards.
One mamma duck chose the roof of the Edgewater Elementary School. You can imagine the excitement when the ducklings hatched and began trying to fly off the roof. They were tumbling everywhere, and the most excitement was for the students.
Gordanier was called and in her usual protective manner for them she stopped traffic so mamma duck and her babies could waddle across the streets on their way to the water without getting run over.
Gordanier would not be leaving if it were not for health problems, which have slowed her down enough that she feels she might not be capable of quick movements required in a bad situation – such as a pit bull or raccoon attack.
Gordanier will miss the work, but most of all, she will miss her fellow works.
“We all get along so well and have such good times,” she said. “They do desperately need a new station house. The one now, (which is a remodeled 100-year-old former grocery store) is so small and cramped.”
She admires Police Chief Dan Keough, whom she said always has time for the residents, to listen and talk to them.
“He’s the second best police chief ever — next to my dad,” she said.