Posted: 12/28/04
Chief St. Mary retires after 32 years in law enforcement
By Jane Palen
Managing editor
Police work has changed a lot since Duane St. Mary began his job as a Caledonia Police Officer on August 16, 1972.
But the ultimate mission of the local police force has remained the same throughout the years: to protect the rights and well-being of Caledoniaís citizens, and to respond in times of crisis.
St. Mary will put in his last day as Caledoniaís Chief of Police on Friday, January 31.
Police work wasnít on St. Maryís mind when he got out of the Navy in 1970. He had done some military guard duty, but wasnít thinking about a career in law enforcement.
Back in Caledonia after the service, he was married and working in La Crosse for A&C Johnson when he noticed an ad for a police officer. At that time, Bud Richards and Bill Betz were keeping the peace in Caledonia, and Bill was about to retire. St. Mary applied for the job, and was hired.
In those years, St. Mary explained, an officer could be hired with no training or experience, which pretty much described him at the time. He was handed the keys to the squad car and given a uniform. Officers did have to get training, however, and several months after he was hired he took an eight week course in law enforcement which was given by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Learning from Richards and Betz wasnít the worst way to get acquainted to police work. They were respected in the community and regarded as fair, even though they didnít spend a lot of time on the details that make up so much of police work today. Once, St. Mary remembered asking Bill Betz about writing reports. Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of matchbook covers with notes scribbled on them.
Communication has become much more sophisticated over the last 30-some years, noted St. Mary. In the early days, if the cops werenít in their squad cars and radios, there was no way to get a message to them. A system was devised whereby if the officer couldnít be reached, the dispatcher would turn the light on top of the water tower off (at night) or on (during the day) if they wanted the officer to call in. Today. a portable radio is standard issue.
Through the years, many changes have taken place in police work as well as in the community in general. St. Mary feels that one of the significant changes in attitudes is that domestic and sexual assaults are no longer swept under the rug, In the past, those who committed crimes of that nature were often not even charged. Now, new laws have made it easier for victims to come forward and perpetrators to be brought to justice.
Being a police officer in the same town you grew up in isnít always easy, said St. Mary. When you have to lay the law down with friends or relatives, it can be an awkward situation. And things werenít always easy for his three children being copís kids when they were in school. But perhaps the hardest thing is responding to a tragedy when you are close to the family. It means putting your own grief aside and carrying on with your job, no matter how hard that might be.
But there are rewards to being a police officer. Itís gratifying to see a young person who started down the wrong path, for instance, turn his or her life around and become a contributing member of society.
St. Mary has already started on a few new hobbies that he is looking forward to pursuing further when he is officially retired. He has begun flying lessons, and has already taken his solo flight. He also enjoys photography and won the Chamber of Commerce photography contest at the 2004 Houston County Fair.
An open house reception honoring St. Mary for his years on the force is scheduled for Sunday, January 9 from 1:30-4 p.m. at the Four Seasons Community Center.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com