The Light Hand of the Law

The Light Hand of the Law

Officer Charles “Chuck” Garner may not give you a ticket if you barrel through Republic, Mo., but he’ll probably give you a grandfatherly talk about the dangers of speeding.

The “grandfatherly” part comes naturally. At 79, Garner is believed to be the oldest working police officer in the Midwest and possibly the country. And Garner’s big-hearted style and gift of gab are legendary in this town of 8,438.

“You’ll never meet a more dedicated person to law enforcement. He’ll stand and talk to someone for 15 minutes and explain what they’ve done wrong,” says police Detective Rick Williams. “They’ll thank him afterward.”

Garner shrugs off the praise.

“I’m just an old-fashioned cop,” he says. “I stop people, but all I ever found is that speeding tickets make people mad because you’re getting into their billfolds. I talk to them and tell them to slow down and be careful. We’ve got too many people getting hurt.”

Garner’s whistle and friendly smile are trademarks around town. He’s a regular near schools, where his presence brings greetings of “Hey, Chuck” and also reminds motorists to ease up.

“He’s a sweetheart. He’s always smiling,” says Leeann Dickerson, manager of Rapid Roberts convenience store, where Garner drops by early in his 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift for coffee and doughnuts. “I look forward to him coming in. I’ve never seen Chuck unhappy, and you’d think in his line of work he would be.”

Garner’s wife, Marcella, sparked his law enforcement career soon after they married in 1948. After serving in World War II, Garner returned home and took a job driving a Trailways bus. Being away from home for days, though, didn’t suit his new bride.

Garner signed on with the Springfield Police Department in 1949 for $149 a month.

“There was no training back then. You got experience from walking the beat. You just got fitted out for a uniform, which was tailor-made and took about 10 days,” he recalls.

That first uniform was the same size that Garner wears today. He’s a trim 5-foot-10 inches and 150 pounds.

Through the years, Garner has worked for the Greene County Sheriff’s Department in Springfield and the U.S. Department of Justice. He served his country again during the Korean War, earning a second Purple Heart.

Three times he’s retired, but missed law enforcement and returned. Sixteen years ago, Garner started wearing a badge for the Republic Police Department.

“It may be a dull ordinary day, but that radio can change everything in a second. That’s why I still love law enforcement,” he says. “And I just love working with people.”

Not all changes in law enforcement, though, have been for the better in Garner’s opinion.

“Today, officers are too fast to grab for their guns,” he says. “In 50 years, I’ve had a gun out of my holster maybe five or six times, and only because the other guy had a weapon. And I’ve had the same ticket book for five years.”

Garner doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon, and that pleases Police Chief Sam Hartsell.

“I can’t say enough good about this guy,” Hartsell says. “There isn’t a situation that I would hesitate sending Officer Garner on.”

Wearing a badge at his age draws some double takes, though, Garner admits. Earlier this year, Garner received a call from a scout for Jay Leno inviting him to appear on The Tonight Show and talk about his humorous experiences.

One incident from his rookie days stands out.

“It was about 4 a.m., and here was this guy in the middle of the road on College Street trying to push his Cadillac. He said, ‘Can you give me a shove?’” Garner didn’t want to damage the grill on his police car, but he wanted to help. He nudged the car bumper. The driver roared off with a smile and a wave.

Two hours later, Garner learned that the car had been stolen from a car lot.

If he could find the guy today, Garner probably would have a nice long talk with him—and then arrest him.

Marti Attoun is a freelance writer in Joplin, Mo.

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