Helen Police Department’s Heidi Groce remembered for her service to the community

The Helen Police Department, and the community, is remembering a beloved police officer.

Heidi Groce passed away on Friday, Aug. 27, at age 49. She had reportedly been battling COVID pneumonia.

Groce worked for the Helen Police Department for 17 years, said Helen Police Chief Brian Stephens. She started in 2004 as a dispatcher, and then made her way up the ranks to supervisor, TAC officer and became the administrative assistant to the police chief six years ago.

Stephens had known Groce for years, working with her since 2008 when he came back to the department.

“We’ve got a lot of memories, and they’re all good memories,” Stephens said. “I lost a good friend and a great co-worker. We had worked together for so long we kind of knew what the other one was going to do, so there was never any big surprises. Heidi every once in a while would have to tell me it can’t be done, we would argue for a few minutes, and I would come to realize she was right, it can’t be done. She could walk in my office at any given time. She had access to stuff that some officers doesn’t have access to. I trusted her completely with it. We never had an issue. She was my right hand.”

Stephens added that some of his favorite memories with Groce involve community service events, including cookouts on the river as fundraisers for White Christmas.

“If there was something going on in the community or something she thought I should be aware of, she had already gathered all the information on it before she even came to me with it … I can’t say enough good things about Heidi, I really can’t,” Stephens said. “It’s going to be a devastating loss to this agency. Heidi was actually one of those people you would hear the saying, ‘They broke the mold when they made her,’ – that was the truth. Heidi was one of a kind.”

Stephens said Groce had an energy for service projects.

“White Christmas – she would get so energetic about it that you couldn’t stay down,” he said. “She lifted your spirits just being around her. Especially on projects that we would do out here in the community. From reading to the students at the library to running the grill at the fundraiser that we had every year at the car show. She cooked all the food for us, volunteered all of her time, she was out there on that grill cooking hundreds of pounds of chicken. She didn’t mind a bit.”

Stephens emphasized how important Groce was to not only the police department, but to the City of Helen, assisting with IT problems from the HPD, next door at City Hall, even the fire department.

“Every time we turn around, we find something else Heidi always did for us, including filling a special place in our heart. Neither her shoes nor the hole in our hearts can ever be filled. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed,” the City of Helen administrative staff said in a joint statement.

Groce also was involved in was the Junior Law Enforcement Camp hosted by the White County Sheriff’s Office. WCSO investigator Megan Bennett said Groce always seemed to be a welcoming and friendly person.

“This year, Heidi was able to assist the Sheriff’s Office with the White County Junior Law Enforcement Academy, where she was the team support for Helen Police Department,” Bennett said. “Heidi may not have been a certified peace officer, but she was still a wealth of knowledge for her cadets and contributed greatly to the learning experience. From spotting on the obstacle course, to helping with traffic stops and calls for service, Heidi was there for it all. In true Boy Scout fashion, Heidi was ever-ready with her first aid kit, helping us with many minor injuries during the academy. In doing all of it, Heidi never lost her enthusiasm or her smile. The loss of Heidi will leave a void in this community that, in my opinion, may never be completely filled. Heidi will be greatly missed.”

Bennett said that even though she only knew Groce professionally, she could always count on her.

“She never missed an opportunity to give back to this community,” Bennett said. “Heidi excelled at programs that supported and enriched the children of White County. I know that she was involved with the Boy Scouts of America, as I’d seen interactions between her and some of her scouts. She was always supportive and present at the Shop with a Cop events in the years that I’ve participated, even though Helen Police Department would already be doing a similar program.”

“Heidi truly had a brilliant mind, yet I never saw or heard her draw attention to it. I’ve met few like her,” said Helen Finance Director Mona Wood.

Groce was also involved in the Currahee District for the Boy Scouts of America. 

Memorial services are set for 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at Barrett Funeral Home in Cleveland. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. A celebration of life barbecue is planned for Sunday, Sept. 12, at 3 p.m. in Helen at the pavilion on Edelweiss Strasse across from Big Daddys.

Instead of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in her memory to the Boy Scouts of America Currahee District Northeast Georgia Council (contact Ian Nesbitt at 706-968-0289), the Helen Police Department Community Fund (contact Helen PD at 706-878-2722), or a charity of your choice.