Cameron Jenson ’20
Crime Analyst, Moorhead Police Department
Majors: Math, Applied Physics

In Spring 2020, uncertainties engulfed the world with the COVID-19 pandemic. All possibilities were on pause, and Class of 2020 graduates were left wondering, “What’s next?” Cameron Jenson was one of those new grads.

A native of Worthington, Minnesota, Jenson graduated with a degree in mathematics and applied physics from Concordia and was on the job hunt. Knowing he wasn’t interested in teaching, he began looking for opportunities where he could use his degree and skill set to help others. He never imagined his future would be in law enforcement. Yet, four years later, Jenson is helping shape a new role as the first crime analyst for the Moorhead Police Department.

“I always had some type of analytics role in mind,” Jenson says. “It was just a matter of figuring out what field to apply it in. When I came across this job, it wasn’t something I had considered before, but it just clicked.”

Jenson is playing a pivotal behind-the-scenes role for the Moorhead Police Department, transforming data into insights that help solve crimes and make the community safer. There’s no such thing as a “typical” day for Jenson, as everything continues to evolve. Each day, he sifts through the data within police calls, crime reports, and regional intelligence, looking for patterns and anomalies to uncover trends. His work is a mix of real-time responsiveness and a long-term strategic plan to help provide officers with tangible data that they can use to help make decisions on policy and enforcement.

It’s about using data to support officers.

“It’s not like what people think from ‘CSI,’” Jenson says with a smile. “It’s about using data to support officers — whether it’s finding connections between incidents or collaborating with our regional partners.”

Collaboration is a crucial part of Jenson’s role. He works closely with analysts from neighboring jurisdictions in Fargo and West Fargo.

“Crime doesn’t know boundaries,” he says. “We each have pieces of the puzzle, and together we can see the bigger picture.”

Jenson’s path from college to the police department wasn’t what he expected, but he credits Concordia for preparing him to enter the workforce.

“A Concordia degree is very well-rounded,” he says. “Every job requires communication skills and to be able to think critically and, in that regard, Concordia really prepared me to do that.”

A degree isn’t the only valuable thing Jenson was able to take away from his time at Concordia. While tutoring math, he met Laura Bieberdorf ’21, a fellow Concordia student from Bemidji, Minnesota. Though they wouldn’t start dating until after they both graduated, they would later marry and find a home in Moorhead, staying connected to the community that helped shape them during their college years.

Jenson is involved in the community in more ways than one. At Concordia, he played trumpet in The Concordia Band. He still likes to hit the stage with some of his college buddies at local venues and events.

New Criminal Justice Minor

In May 2025, Concordia announced the addition of a criminal justice minor in collaboration with Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State). The innovative minor combines the comprehensive foundation of liberal arts coursework with the career-focused training of a professional program.

Jenson is excited for current and future Concordia students who can now minor in criminal justice.

“Having that background in law and policy would’ve been helpful [for me],” he says. 

Even though Jenson wishes he could’ve had this opportunity, he is still incredibly grateful for his time at Concordia and his chosen academic path. For now, he is content being the quiet force behind the scenes at the Moorhead Police Department, using numbers and data to help solve crimes.

^{Published June 2025}