On Wednesday, July 18, a large group gathered at the City of Louisville Courtroom to honor two Louisville police officers who are retiring after 34 years of service, Andy Taylor and Greg Clark.
Mayor Will Hill read proclamations which the City had adopted honoring both officers for their long years of service. And Chief of Police L.M. Claiborne presented each with a series of gifts including, a shadow box containing the various badges each officer has worn during their careers, their service weapons and an engraved Fossil watch.
Claiborne also allowed time for comments from colleagues and former colleagues. Mack Parkes pointed out that it was he who helped start their law enforcement careers, as he was the Chief of Police who hired them both. There were humorous remembrances and well-wishes from a number of others.
Taylor ends his career as the Asst. Chief of Police and has held a number of positions within the department, including a period as Chief of Police, from 2001-2003. He began his career with the Police Department Auxiliary, now known as the Reserves, in 1981 and was hired as a full-time officer in October, 1984.
Taylor stated that he has seen a lot of people come and go and many changes in the law enforcement profession. He said, “The biggest change is technology. We went from writing reports on paper and file cards, and all of the cars now have computers in them. The guys write tickets, do reports, everything is on the computer now in the cars.” He also pointed out that communications technology has vastly improved over the years.
Taylor stated that when he began with the Auxiliary it was an avenue to full-time police work, with a number of officers being hired from those ranks, and he doesn’t see that as much anymore.
Taylor added that he and his wife, Sue, are looking forward to traveling now that he has retired.
Clark also began his career with the Auxiliary at around the same time as Taylor. He was working offshore at the time, and when his son Colby was born he made the decision to do something at home, and law enforcement is what he chose.
He added that there was something special about the group of officers who came on-board around that time. He said, “We’d come to work an hour early and stay an hour late, and weren’t getting paid for it,” adding that it had a lot to do with the people they were working with.
Clark stated that the best thing about his career is the friendship and camaraderie, and that it was more like a family than a job. Clark retires as a Lieutenant, and was an investigator for a number of years.
Taylor and Clark’s retirement was official on June 30, and their friendship will continue as they are planning a bear hunting trip to Canada in the near future.
