There’s a saying by Mahatma Gandhi taped to the top of the Ames police chief’s phone that summarizes his philosophy: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

Chief Loras Jaeger plans to retire in February after 39 years of trying to fulfill Gandhi’s words through his career in law enforcement.

“If everybody followed that, the world would be much better,” he said.

Through his four decades of service, Jaeger has commanded Cedar Falls police, the ISU Department of Public Safety and the Ames Police Department.

Jaeger spent his first 22 years as a police officer in Cedar Falls, eventually becoming police chief. In 1990, he applied for the Director of the ISU DPS, where he worked for 11 years. In 2001, Jaeger accepted his position as Ames Police Chief.

Jaeger has a graduate degree in management from Northern Iowa’s College of Business. He has also taught criminology and sociology courses at Northern Iowa and Iowa State.

He joined the Cedar Falls Police force when he was 21, quickly gaining the nickname “the Kid.”

“I was a very young-looking police officer,” Jaeger said. “Those days have gone by.”

He turns 60 in February but looks like he could be years younger. His hair hasn’t yet changed to gray. ISU DPS Director Jerry Stewart said Jaeger’s youthful appearance is from attitude.

“He always maintains a positive outlook,” Stewart said. “He’s always had a boyish appearance.”

Stewart said he has worked with Jaeger for 23 years and was hired by Jaeger in Cedar Falls. Stewart said Jaeger is naturally approachable.

“Despite his easygoing, approachable way, as an investigator he had a fierce determination to solving crimes,” Stewart said.

In his tenure at ISU DPS, Jaeger established the Sexual Assault Response Team, which has been nationally recognized by the Urban Institute. Jaeger also focused on improving the caliber of DPS officers.

“He was instrumental in stressing the importance of education and training of officers,” Stewart said. “He placed a preference on hiring people with college degrees that’s still in practice today.”

Stewart said Jaeger’s example has helped him to grow professionally.

“When he was assigned a complex case as an investigator, I don’t know if there was anybody more determined to do everything possible to solve a case,” Stewart said.

One case Jaeger remembers was a sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl. Jaeger said she was kidnapped, raped and left in a field in the middle of January. Stewart said Jaeger exhausted his leads to find and arrest the rapist.

“You develop a real zeal to try to solve those cases because of the trauma of the victim has gone through, and our goal is to make the person who has caused that trauma pay for what they’ve done,” Jaeger said.

Always maintaining a focus on compassion for the victims of crime is the trait that Jaeger said has defined his career.

“You view a lot of tragedy,” Jaeger said. “You always remember the violence that goes along with this kind of job.”

Jaeger is looking forward to spending more time with his family.

Jaeger and his wife, Becky, may move back to northeast Iowa, where they both grew up.

“I’d like to write,” Jaeger said. “It would have to have a policing theme to it.”

ISU Police Cmdr. Gene Deisinger was a psychiatrist for Student Counseling Services before being hired by Jaeger for a position with DPS.

Loras and Becky Jaeger are godparents to Deisinger’s 7-year-old son.

“As a person, Loras is a down-to-earth, decent man,” Deisinger said. “I’m certainly going to miss working with him, but I’m also very happy for him.”