Growing up, Morgan Grimm didn't dream of being a police officer. She didn't wear the costume at Halloween. But a passion for helping people led her to the position.

Grimm, 34, recently joined the City of Thompson Falls Police Department. Born in Bozeman, Grimm grew up in a military family, primarily in California. She started her professional career in healthcare, attending nursing school in California and working at hospitals.

Grimm said she always wanted to come back to Montana. He parents are both Montanans and retired in Lolo. While her siblings are spread across the country, she felt Montana was ideal.

Grimm worked in healthcare in Missoula, but said she was curious about the law enforcement profession. She enrolled in the reserve program in Missoula in 2014 before deciding to pursue law enforcement full-time and attend the Montana Post Academy. She said she slowly immersed herself in the profession to see what kind of people were in law enforcement, and if it was a good fit for her. Grimm said she liked what she saw.

"I found people were very structured and officers were treated as part of the community and vice versa," Grimm said. "I wanted an opportunity to improve my community for my daughter as a mom and an officer."

Grimm is happy with her new role in the Thompson Falls Police Department.

"Chief (Chris) Nichols has been absolutely amazing," Grimm said. "He truly cares about his officers and we're given the tools to do our job." She also said her fellow patrol officers, Jacob Winslow and Luke Hauke, have been helpful and accommodating as they welcomed her to the force.

Grimm said it's a challenge to get to know people, but she's making sure she becomes a part of the community. She said she wants people to feel comfortable talking to her. She said that sometimes, as in domestic violence issues, a female officer can help with difficult conversations.

Grimm also has an 8-year-old daughter, Ava. She said they have friends in Plains, and like the area and the people. Grimm also enjoys being just a couple hours away from her family. Her daughter likes Thompson Falls, too. Grimm said that Ava first went to a one-room school house in Potomac before attending school in Missoula, and Ava likes the small class sizes in Thompson Falls. "She delved right into school here," Grimm said.