Like other members of the Litchfield Police Department, Gary Gruenke is used to pulling extra duty during Watercade week.
From traffic control after the fireworks Friday night and during the Grand Day Parade Saturday, to providing a security presence at various other events, the weekend community celebration usually means extra work for local law enforcement.
But Gruenke will get a pass from parade patrol this year. Rather than manning a barricade somewhere along the route, the 34-year veteran of the Litchfield Police Department will be riding the entire route in the back of a convertible, as the parade’s grand marshal.
“When one of the committee members called and asked if I wanted to be (grand marshal), I was like, ‘Are you serious?’” Gruenke said. “We had joked with one of the commodores last year at the parade, (saying) being a grand marshal, it’d be kind of a neat honor.’”
The invitation from the Watercade board was serious. And Gruenke is seriously honored.
“It is a very big honor to be chosen as grand marshal of Watercade,” he said. “You know, I’m glad that they chose me this year.”
It’s a well-deserved honor, according to the selection committee, for someone who many consider “the face” of the Litchfield Police Department.
Some of that recognition comes strictly through three-plus decades in a very public role. Gruenke is the longest-serving current member of the Litchfield department. But Gruenke’s outgoing personality and involvement in activities and organizations beyond the badge play an even bigger role.
Gruenke was a member of the Litchfield Rescue Squad for 30 years, where he held positions of captain, lieutenant and assistant chief prior to his retirement from the organization in 2019. He also was a member of the Rescue Squad’s SCUBA dive team.
In addition, through involvement with programs his sons were involved in, Gruenke coached youth sports teams and volunteered in a variety of roles with the Litchfield Baseball Association, from working the concession stand to public address announcer.
The sports involvement allowed him to spend time with his now adult sons — Sam, 27, and Alex, 21 — as they grew up. But it also put him in front of a lot of people in situations where he wasn’t always wearing his police blues.
“Eventually, I even got a key to the press box (at Optimist Park),” Gruenke said with a laugh as he recalled his gradual immersion into the baseball association. “So a few times, you know, when the boys forget to turn the lights off at night after they had a winning game and celebrated a little too long on the field and they would meander away and leave a light or two (on), I live close by, so I just go over and shut the stuff off. It’s kind of like, it’s part of being a community member, you take care of it.”
Gruenke grew up in Albany, the fifth of six children of Virgil and Joan Gruenke. After graduating from Albany High School, he attended Alexandria Area Vocational Technical Institute, earning an associate’s degree in law enforcement. He worked briefly as a part-time officer in his hometown before becoming a full-time officer in Litchfield in 1988.
In addition to being a patrol officer and an investigator during his Litchfield career, he served as the CounterAct officer for 14 years.
“I was a whopping 23 years old when I came here,” Gruenke said. “I mean, that’s not the youngest officer we’ve ever had in my time here, but you know, I was pretty wet behind the ears. But I was ready to be a cop. I was ready to learn more about being a cop. You learn probably 60 percent of the job by doing the job. College prepares you to learn more about the job, but police work is a lot of on-the-job learning.”
Gruenke says he didn’t really expect to stay in Litchfield as long as he has. Early in his career, he thought he’d go back to school to earn his bachelor’s degree, but life and his enjoyment of small town living, Litchfield being similar to Albany, took him down a different path. He seems to have few regrets with the path chosen.
“I like the variety of being a town cop, because we handle everything from bear sightings to, you know, the average traffic accident, speeding tickets, traffic enforcement, domestic disturbance, you know, a variety of things,” Gruenke said. “But then there’s also the community involvement things. Like, it’s Watercade, guess what? You’re going to lead the kiddie parade. OK, cool. I like that interaction with the community.”
Not only has he led the kiddie parade, but Gruenke’s also been known to run the kids' 1-mile run with a young competitor who needed extra encouragement to get to the finish line.
“Those years that I did that were probably some of my funnest moments,” Gruenke said. “I was able to empower a child to do well.
“People remember you for both the good and the bad, sometimes for the bad a little easier than the good,” he added. “But as long as you can make that good impression on someone somewhere, that’s what it’s all about.”
He joked that he probably won’t be joining in the 1-mile run this year. He will, however, be on duty throughout the weekend.
Well, except that short break to ride in the parade.
“I plan on having a lot of fun,” Gruenke said. “I just want to wish everybody a happy town celebration. There’s lot of things to do for all ages, and you can find something, and have fun.”
Copyright 2022 Litchfield Independent Reivew/Crow River Media/Media News Group.