Helms leaving RPD Police chief set a Jan. 23 retirement date
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008
Helms
ROGERS - After 30 years on the job, the last five as police chief, Steve Helms has announced his retirement from the Rogers Police Department.
"It's been probably the most difficult decision I've made in my life," said Helms, whose retirement will be effective Jan. 23. "My family has sacrificed enough. It's time for me to give back to them."
The decision, Helms said, is more about timing than any other factor. His eligibility for the Deferred Retirement Option Plan ends Jan. 19. At that point, he would no longer be paying into his retirement benefits.
Although it is not required that Helms retire at that point, he said it would "be silly to be leaving money" by working without increasing his retirement funds.
Still, Helms described a difficult process toward making that decision.
"It's exciting, but it's also kind of heartbreaking," he said. "I've been at this for 30 years, and it's a way of life."
Helms has no elaborate plans for life after the Police Department - no trips, no vacations, but there will be a lot of free time, he said.
"I'm not gonna do nothing for quite a while, just do a lot of honeydo's I've been procrastinating on, " Personnel will adapt quickly he said. "I'll probably go stir-crazy and want to get back into something before I expected."
For the chief, the beauty of retirement, and of the retirement plan that will soon end, is that Helms can take his time in deciding how, when and where he takes up another job.
"It'll be something I want to do, so I can be selective," he said.
With more than three months before Helms leaves, Mayor Steve Womack is hoping he can hire a new chief before Helms'last day.
"My plan is to have a chief on board before (Helms' ) retirement is effective," said Womack, who talked with Helms about his decision Monday.
In the four days since his discussion with Womack, Helms has not had time to think about what legacy he might leave behind. He has barely had time to tell his officers and employees he will be leaving, sending out a mass e-mail before they could find out another way after trying to talk to them all one at a time.
In the next three months, Helms hopes to run the department as normal, although he knows there are some things he must do before he leaves. He's already starting to make a list of the projects the department has undertaken that will not end before the new chief steps in.
Helms is not concerned at all about his personnel, trusting that they will adapt quickly.
"They're a great bunch of people," Helms said of the department's employees. "They know how to do the job, and they'll maintain focus on the job, both civilians and officers. They've seen change before; most of them have."
And Helms said Rogers has not seen the last of him, even if it has seen the last of his uniform. He has children in Rogers schools. He'll be fishing from the lakes. He'll be out on the town with his family, helping his parents, spending more time with those most important to him.
He'll be around. Only the badge will be missing.
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