MONROE - Randy Roderick has only a few days until he turns in his badge.
For 38 years, Roderick, 59, has worked in law enforcement - the last 10 as Green County Sheriff. His decade as the county's top cop is the longest anyone has served in the position. Since he joined the sheriff's department in 1974, Roderick's been a jailer/dispatcher, patrol deputy, juvenile investigator, detective and chief detective.
Green County Chief Deputy Jeff Skatrud, who will be sworn in as sheriff Monday, said Roderick left his mark on the department.
"We're going to have some big shoes to fill," he said. "Randy was always the detail-oriented person and I was always the big picture guy. We worked well together."
Roderick started his career as a volunteer with the Monroe Police Department 40 years ago. As an auxiliary officer, he worked on the Square, helping drivers as they backed their vehicles from parking stalls.
The square was busy in those days, Roderick said. There were a lot of stores downtown and people would drive around the Square looking for a place to park.
"We'd step out and stop traffic so people could back out of the stalls and then let the next person in," he said.
In 1972, while working for the New Glarus Police Department, Roderick was not only a police officer, but an ambulance driver as well.
At the time, the police department had a station wagon, and if someone needed to go to the hospital, the police officers would put them on a stretcher in the back of the car.
"All we had in the station wagon was a first-aid kit and some oxygen," Roderick said. "You made the trip by yourself."
Roderick remembers driving about 80 mph on Wisconsin 69 to get a person to the emergency room.
"I was holding the oxygen with one hand and steering with the other," he said.
Roderick has never been the type of cop who craved personal recognition. In fact, he says his career in law enforcement wouldn't have been such a success without the people with whom he served. The words on a plaque in his office emphasize Roderick's perspective: "There is no limit to what a person can do or where they can go if they don't mind who gets the credit."
Roderick doesn't refer to the sheriff's department as "my department." Rather, he said it takes everyone working together to make the department successful.
"Some people in government jobs forget who they work for," he said. "I always remind myself of this and periodically emphasize this to the employees."
Consistency is something Roderick says he wanted to establish when he became sheriff in January 2001.
He also wanted to take politics out of the sheriff's department, having seen what happens in other county departments when politics get involved. So Roderick discouraged his employees from getting involved in the election process.
And if Roderick had his way, the sheriff's job would be a non-partisan position.
"The sheriff shouldn't be a member of any political party," he said. "That's my feeling based on personal experience."
Being sheriff has meant some long hours, but Roderick doesn't regret his decision to run for the office 10 years ago.
Perhaps his biggest challenge, he said, was to step back and let detectives and deputies handle the cases.
"You can't be sheriff and investigator," he said.
He also had to deal with budgets, take care of administrative duties and work with the county board.
"The sheriff is more than law enforcement because you deal with a variety of issues ranging from personnel matters, budgets, crimes, court services, traffic matters, civil process and jail issues," he said.
Roderick isn't sure what he plans to do in the future, but he's going to relax a little and take his time to decide what his next career move will be.
No matter what he does in the future, he'll be able to look back on his 38 years with a sense of satisfaction.
"I've enjoyed all of it," he said with a smile.
For 38 years, Roderick, 59, has worked in law enforcement - the last 10 as Green County Sheriff. His decade as the county's top cop is the longest anyone has served in the position. Since he joined the sheriff's department in 1974, Roderick's been a jailer/dispatcher, patrol deputy, juvenile investigator, detective and chief detective.
Green County Chief Deputy Jeff Skatrud, who will be sworn in as sheriff Monday, said Roderick left his mark on the department.
"We're going to have some big shoes to fill," he said. "Randy was always the detail-oriented person and I was always the big picture guy. We worked well together."
Roderick started his career as a volunteer with the Monroe Police Department 40 years ago. As an auxiliary officer, he worked on the Square, helping drivers as they backed their vehicles from parking stalls.
The square was busy in those days, Roderick said. There were a lot of stores downtown and people would drive around the Square looking for a place to park.
"We'd step out and stop traffic so people could back out of the stalls and then let the next person in," he said.
In 1972, while working for the New Glarus Police Department, Roderick was not only a police officer, but an ambulance driver as well.
At the time, the police department had a station wagon, and if someone needed to go to the hospital, the police officers would put them on a stretcher in the back of the car.
"All we had in the station wagon was a first-aid kit and some oxygen," Roderick said. "You made the trip by yourself."
Roderick remembers driving about 80 mph on Wisconsin 69 to get a person to the emergency room.
"I was holding the oxygen with one hand and steering with the other," he said.
Roderick has never been the type of cop who craved personal recognition. In fact, he says his career in law enforcement wouldn't have been such a success without the people with whom he served. The words on a plaque in his office emphasize Roderick's perspective: "There is no limit to what a person can do or where they can go if they don't mind who gets the credit."
Roderick doesn't refer to the sheriff's department as "my department." Rather, he said it takes everyone working together to make the department successful.
"Some people in government jobs forget who they work for," he said. "I always remind myself of this and periodically emphasize this to the employees."
Consistency is something Roderick says he wanted to establish when he became sheriff in January 2001.
He also wanted to take politics out of the sheriff's department, having seen what happens in other county departments when politics get involved. So Roderick discouraged his employees from getting involved in the election process.
And if Roderick had his way, the sheriff's job would be a non-partisan position.
"The sheriff shouldn't be a member of any political party," he said. "That's my feeling based on personal experience."
Being sheriff has meant some long hours, but Roderick doesn't regret his decision to run for the office 10 years ago.
Perhaps his biggest challenge, he said, was to step back and let detectives and deputies handle the cases.
"You can't be sheriff and investigator," he said.
He also had to deal with budgets, take care of administrative duties and work with the county board.
"The sheriff is more than law enforcement because you deal with a variety of issues ranging from personnel matters, budgets, crimes, court services, traffic matters, civil process and jail issues," he said.
Roderick isn't sure what he plans to do in the future, but he's going to relax a little and take his time to decide what his next career move will be.
No matter what he does in the future, he'll be able to look back on his 38 years with a sense of satisfaction.
"I've enjoyed all of it," he said with a smile.