Sartell Police Chief Jim Hughes Reflects on 32 Year Career

SARTELL (WJON News) -- Beginning next month, Sartell Police Chief Jim Hughes will begin a new phase in his life -- retirement.

Hughes will officially retire on March 31st after 32 years working for the department.

He says the biggest change over the last 30 years has been the evolution of technology.

It makes the job easier, but at times it can make the job more difficult. We are so use to electronics and if that device doesn't work what do you do. If you started in law enforcement when I did, you remember having to use a 35 mm camera, hand writing your reports and other things of that nature.

Hughes says they have been incorporating some of the old ways into today's training to make sure their officers have a fallback option to complete their work.

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He says when he first began his career as a police officer, he never envisioned one day becoming a police chief, a title he's had in Sartell for the last 19 years.

It was an opportunity that presented itself and I was young when I got the promotion. Fortunately for me I had previously been a Lieutenant and a patrol sergeant so I knew a lot of the inner workings. However, there is a lot of things that occur that you had no idea the chief was responsible for.

Hughes says he's been preparing his staff for his retirement over the last several years and strongly feels he's leaving the community in good hands.

He says it's been an honor to work for the city of Sartell and he looks forward to his next stage in life, which includes doing some traveling.

As for who will be the next police chief, the city is currently going through their list of candidates, with hopes of conducting finalist interviews later this month.