Minster police chief off the beat

MINSTER - Friday was bittersweet for Randy Houseworth as the Minster police chief took off his badge and retired after serving in law enforcement since 1978.

"I'm ready to do something else," Houseworth, 59, said. "(I) don't have any big plans for anything right now except to maybe relax and travel a little."

Houseworth said he's worked with a "great bunch of people" throughout the years and will miss the companionship among the other officers and village administrators.

"That's going to be a little hard at first," Houseworth said. "I'm used to keeping a phone by my bed or with me every hour of every day. Not hearing the ringing of the phone or missing a call will take some getting used to."

However, he will most miss visiting children at the school, he said.

"They always want a high-five or to slap my hand," Houseworth said, his eyes getting a little misty. "Especially the children in the learning disabled class.

"There is a little boy who is autistic that came running up to me the other day and gave me a huge hug," Houseworth said. "The teacher said it was the first time he had hugged someone. That hug will always stay with me."

In 1978, he joined the New Bremen department part-time and later joined the Auglaize County Sheriff's Office from 1979-83. In 1984, he became an officer at the Oakwood Forensic Center and then returned to New Bremen in 1985. In 2008, he joined the Minster department.

So many things have changed during his career, Houseworth said, including communication, technology and laws.

"It's almost crazy," he said, grinning. "Things change every day, and you spend almost more time keeping up with them than on the streets. But I think if the legislation and government would just let us do our jobs, things would be better. I wholeheartedly believe in preserving a person's rights, but sometimes the guys who aren't out on the streets fighting crime every day don't get it."

What Houseworth won't miss about the job is going to fatal accidents or investigating child-abuse cases or suicides.

"Those are the worst," Houseworth said. "Especially when you know a child or have to notify friends that their child just died in a car accident. Those are the terrible things I put in the back of my mind and don't want to remember."

He said he has always tried to remember three things: be straight-forward, have strong empathy for others and be kind-hearted.

"You never know what the other person has been going through or is going through at the moment you encounter him," Houseworth said. "I always have believed to get to know the person a little, find out what they're dealing with."

While Houseworth doesn't have many retirement plans, he does intend to continue to compete in powerlifting.

He has won numerous events, including setting a world record in 2012 in the Super Heavy Weight contest for his age bracket, pressing 605 pounds at a state competition and taking home a gold medal from the Ohio Police and Fire Games.

"I'm getting a little older now so I've slowed down with the competitions," Houseworth said. "But I intend to keep training and maybe I'll go to a couple in the next year or so. Right now I'm just going to spend time with my family and relax."

Houseworth announced his retirement plans earlier this year and village officials have yet to pick a replacement.