New Wayzata police officer sworn in

Officer Travis Groth was sworn in during the March 7 Wayzata City Council meeting, where friends, family and fellow officers applauded the occasion.

City Manager Jeffrey Dahl administered the oath of office and invited Groth’s father Dave, who served on the Plymouth Police Department for 26 years before retiring in 2019, to pin a badge on his son’s uniform.

Wayzata Police Chief Marc Schultz then provided a brief introduction for the new officer, who grew up in Maple Grove and was encouraged by his father to become involved in the Plymouth Police Explorer program while attending high school.

“In Travis’ words, his dad paved the way for him to follow in his footsteps and left very big shoes to fill,” the police chief said.

Groth’s first job in law enforcement was serving as a community service officer with the Wayzata Police Department and later with the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department.

“Travis was an immediate contributor to our community and quickly demonstrated his work ethic by working as many hours as he could – as many hours as we let him – and going to school nearly full time and starting a family,” Schultz said.

The officer received his associate degree in criminal justice from Normandale Community College and completed his skills training at Hennepin Technical College.

Groth was eventually offered the lead community service officer role in Wayzata and was ultimately encouraged to apply for a police officer position with the department.

“In his short time here in Wayzata, he’s shown an incredible amount of pride and dedication to our community by committing fully to be a part of our team,” the police chief said. “We immediately knew we wanted him to be a part of our organization for a long time.” 

The new officer then took his turn behind the podium, where he thanked his friends and family for being in attendance to watch him take the next step in his law enforcement career.

“This is where I started. This is the exact department and city I always wanted to end up in,” he said, noting that he began his relationship with his wife, got married and welcomed his son all while working in Wayzata. “I feel like my whole life has kind of blossomed while I’ve been at this department.”

Mayor Johanna Mouton then offered a few congratulatory words to the new officer.

“On behalf of myself and the entire city council and our entire community, welcome,” the mayor said. “You’ve been here for a few years, but welcome to your new role and welcome to, as you know, an extended family not only within the police department but at city hall as well.”

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