“I dreamt about being a police officer since I was 16,” he said. “I’m living my dream.”
Early in his career, officers like Salcer also ran ambulances. Many of his first dispatches are still vivid memories today.
“Memories that stick out in my mind are of a little girl…” he said silently. “A little girl run over, killed. I went to her funeral. It was very sad.”
Now, after six decades with the department, he says nothing really surprises him anymore.
“I’ve conducted hundreds of drug raids in apartments, confiscated thousands of pounds of marijuana. I’ve always done what’s demanded of me, but it’s tough, with these little kids,” Salcer said. “We did all of the ambulance work, conveyed to the hospital, got the doctor to sign the death certificate and pronounce them dead and all that. It’ a lasting memory, goes back a lot of years, but I’ll never forget it.”
Though a career in law enforcement can wear you down, Salcer said he’s proud of his accomplishments and is looking forward to the future.
“I’ll get to see more of my grandkids, its a full-time job,” he said. “And we’ll take some short trips and so fourth. Certainly we’ll hit a casino once in a while. Every, one or twice a year, we’ll go to a casino in Michigan. But nothing heavy. I’m looking forward to it.”
Salcer officially retires on Jan. 3.