Sgt. Mike Duzan of the Chaska Police Department scrolls through saved voice messages on his cellphone, clicking on a call he received around Christmas.

“Salutations of the season — Happy Holidays and Happy New Year upcoming,” the cheery gentleman says. “Just letting you know I’m doing well. Close to 20 months of sobriety, or maybe over 20 months now, I’m not really sure. Just want to say hello. Anyway, talk to you later. Bye.”

Duzan smiles as he recalls the local man who once was in crisis but has turned a corner in life. Run-ins with the law have ended. His overall physical and mental health is improving. It’s just one of many positive stories that inspires Duzan to keep serving his neighbors even as the public’s trust in law enforcement appears strained.

“Over the years I’ve worked here, I obviously get to know people,” Duzan says

“Some of them struggle with mental health issues, and some of them just have other hurdles. It’s my job and my passion to care for them.”

Since becoming a Chaska law enforcement officer 31 years ago, Duzan’s commitment to go above-and-beyond in caring for individuals and families has never waned. In fact, it eventually resulted in an official “enhanced services” role to which Duzan gives his heart and soul.

Duzan’s ultimate goal? For the public to be grateful when he and his fellow officers arrive on scene, much like his kids used to greet him with a hug when he returned home from work.

“I know that sounds a little corny,” he admits. “But I want my community to feel the same way when I show up to help them. ‘Thank goodness you’re here!’

“Obviously, there are days when I’m in more of an enforcement role, and people aren’t going to be happy. But I know I can do my job in a way that people appreciate it, regardless of the moment.”

Early Inspiration

During his senior year of high school, Duzan landed a full-ride college scholarship in Alaska and expected to study biology up north. 

But a fortuitous conversation with his uncle, Joe Bergeron, a sergeant in the Maplewood Police Department at the time, turned Duzan’s attention to a different career path. After several ride-alongs with his uncle, Duzan says he wanted to become a law enforcement officer.

“I just watched how — when people needed anything — they called and my uncle was able to handle it,” Duzan recalls. “It could be something minor … or it could be a life-and-death situation. He was always my gold standard of the kind of police officer I wanted to be … my community’s caretaker.”

To this day, Duzan said he often thinks to himself, “How would Joe handle this call?”

As he began his law enforcement career, Duzan was laser focused on serving his fellow citizens well. On one occasion, his uncle tried to temper his enthusiasm just a bit.

“Mikey, you have a lot of energy,” Bergeron told him. “Just remember, you can’t change the world.”

Duzan remembers responding a quick, “I know.”

“But in my brain,” Duzan continues, “I was thinking, ‘I’ve watched you change somebody’s world every day.’”

Duzan regretted his obligatory response and not sharing those true feelings with his uncle. Then on May 1, 2010, Sgt. Bergeron was shot and killed in the line of duty.

“It was a horrible day, a horrible season,” he says.

Duzan immediately felt remorse for never telling Bergeron how proud he was of the daily impact his uncle had on people’s lives.

“I actually called his office phone and told him that on his voicemail,” Duzan recalls.

These days, Duzan says, those words are a personal mantra for how he conducts himself on the job.

“I know I’m going to change somebody’s world every shift,” he says. “My uncle showed me how important it is to make sure it’s a positive change.”

Helping Neighbors

Duzan initially served as a Chaska police officer for five years, but then went to work in St. Paul for a time, taking advantage of overtime opportunities that helped support his growing family.

But in 2002, Duzan returned to the Chaska Police Department. A year later, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

“Some police officers would prefer not to live in the city where they work,” he explains. “For me, there are way more benefits to it.”

Even though it’s awkward when he encounters someone at a store that he’s arrested in the past, Duzan says that’s offset by community members recognizing him and greeting him by his nickname, Duzie (pronounced Doozy).

He also has appreciated the chance to have lunch with his kids at school and the numerous opportunities to stop by his children’s sporting events while on duty.

“It’s all about community and family for me,” he says. “They’re intertwined.”

Enhanced Services

Shortly after Ryan Seibert was hired as Chaska police chief in 2020, Duzan began advocating for a dedicated position focused on supporting people in crisis. Duzan had been helping community members heal for years, but wanted to establish a formal program. Chief Seibert quickly backed the idea.

“I wanted to find a way to develop relationships with people who I knew were hurting,” Duzan explains. “And I wanted to develop relationships with their family and their support networks so that they’re comfortable reaching out to the police or me.”

Chief Seibert says the role has become a vital part of how the department responds to moments of crisis or tragedy.

“It takes the right person with a strong sense of dedication and compassion for others to assume the enhanced services role,” Seibert says. “Sgt. Duzan has been instrumental at ensuring we are doing everything possible for those in our community experiencing mental health challenges. He takes a very compassionate and personal approach, which often creates an environment of comfortability and trust. This is essential for successful outcomes.”

The enhanced services role is on top of Duzan’s job as patrol supervisor, but he sees it as critical to effective police work. Often he comes into the office on his day off to review the call logs and identify individuals and families who may be struggling.

“I kind of triage those cases and decide who could use more help,” Duzan explains.

He reaches out by phone, schedules face-to-face meetings, meets up for coffee or sometimes takes someone out for dinner. He will follow up later with phone calls to see how people are doing and encourage them to keep heading in a positive direction.

“Everybody gets my business card,” he says. “It’s got my cell number on it. I ask them to reach out to call me when they’re having a tough day, or call me when they’re having a great day. I want to build relationships with people and connect them to services that can help.”

People in crisis often feel worthless and sometimes are on the verge of suicide, Duzan adds. He always assures them of their value as a human being and follows up frequently to make sure they are ok.

“I don’t want to see them hurting,” he says. “If there’s a way I can help, I want to break down those barriers. Sometimes it turns into the long-standing relationship.”

Duzan also works closely with families that have kids with disabilities, autism or other emotional challenges. He works to ensure that, when responding to calls at certain addresses, fellow officers know if a child or adult living there might react in unpredictable ways. There are even notes that can be accessed on the patrol car computers providing tips on how best to deescalate a situation with that individual.

“It just goes back to changing somebody’s world every day and how important it is to make it a positive change,” Duzan says.

All In

In the summer of 2026, the Chaska Police Department will hire its first full-time mental health clinician. The new role, sometimes referred to as a co-responder, will support the department’s enhanced services efforts.

“I’ve long wanted to be able to bring somebody on staff in that role,” he says. “I’m excited about it.”

Chief Seibert says the new position will add someone with clinical experience and state certification to the department’s team.

“They will become an asset to our overall agency response to crisis situations,” he says. “The position was supported by our city administration and elected officials, which allowed for it to be funded as part of the 2026 budget.”

Even though progress has been made with the enhanced service program, Duzan said the community’s backing for the new role shows the Chaska Police Department is not satisfied with the status quo.

“Our goal is to keep our community safe,” he says. “If we’re not searching for ways to improve that, then we’re failing.”