By Sara Strong
After 25 years of wearing a badge in Rock County, former sheriff Ron McClure returns to civilian life this year.
He lost the last sheriff election to Mike Winkels, and decided to see it as a chance to start over.
What he’ll be doing — other than fishing — is still unknown. But at 56, he said there’s plenty of time to "see what comes up."
As sheriff, McClure was known as a kind, soft-hearted officer whose in-house management style treated people in his department as equals.
McClure said, "Rock County Law Enforcement is made up of good people and good officers — including the dispatch center, which I think is one of the best."
Kurt Kester, now a sergeant with the Rock County Sheriff’s Department, started with the county at the same time as McClure.
Kester said it’s difficult to come up with anything negative to say about McClure. "If there’s any knock against Ron, it’s that he is too kind-hearted. He is a wonderful friend and was a great boss."
A retirement party last weekend gave his co-workers and the community a chance to say good-bye and to acknowledge McClure as a long-time public servant and friend. People called in well wishes if they weren’t able to attend, and another 171 attended the party.
Dispatcher Terri Ebert organized the party and worked with McClure for almost 20 years. "He was fantastic with people and cared about them."
McClure speaks of enjoying his days on the job. It wasn’t unusual to spend 10 or 11 hours on a shift, but he said the time flew.
"That first week after the election was hard," McClure said. He was thinking of all the time he had to fill, but now he’s learning that an open schedule isn’t so bad.
‘Loved helping people’
As a Magnolia High School graduate, McClure stayed close to home when he decided to join law enforcement.
He first worked in the city of Pipestone and then made it back to Rock County, under the leadership of then sheriff, Ole Hommen.
Twelve of McClure’s years on the job in Rock County were as sheriff. He wore many hats along with the badges — being community spokesperson, finder of lost things and sometimes a father figure.
"I think I was always fair and honest. I tried to treat people equally … and didn’t care whose kids they were," McClure said.
He remembers giving travelers directions, driving stalled motorists to town, looking for people who weren’t home on time and helping drivers through bad storms.
"I loved my job. I loved helping people," McClure said. "Everybody looks to law enforcement. They know what’s going on with the weather and even know where most people live, what they drive and who their kids are dating."
Things changed the last few years on the job, though. Young people stayed out later, the department answered more calls than ever and the level of crime increased.
Before that, McClure remembers the department getting a few hundred incident reports a year, compared with the 5,000 it gets now. McClure also remembers responding to 20 accidents a year to what’s now a couple hundred.
"Back when I started, you didn’t deal as much with the public, it was more straight law enforcement. People didn’t call as much as they do now — we didn’t chase dogs," McClure said.
Although he spent his time working for smaller departments, big-time crimes and events have been similar to what any officer sees. For example, he was shot at during the high-profile chase with the father-son murder team from Ruthton.
In recent years, he’s seen an increase in burglaries, more drug use and even a murder in the county, so McClure has had to handle a lot.
"The stuff people are high on now is a whole different ballgame," he said.
Along with changes he’s noticed outside the department, his methods over the years had to change as well.
McClure said he formerly didn’t have to read people their rights before questioning them; fines, the department levies have increased; and officers know how to handle evidence better and write better reports.
But some things have never changed. It’s still a big part of the sheriff’s job to deliver death notices to people who have lost someone in an accident.
"That’s the hardest part of the job, especially if it’s someone you know," McClure said. He’s also had to handle numerous suicide scenes where he knew people involved.
The job carried many positive things for McClure, too. "My favorite moments are working with people, young or old — listening to their problems and trying to help," he said.
Others enjoyed working with him, too. County Administrator Kyle Oldre knows McClure on a professional and personal level.
"It was a pleasure working with Ron McClure," Oldre said. "He was dedicated to the people of the county and the people he worked with — nobody worked harder or cared more."
McClure said, "Law enforcement is always my love. … It’s been a real honor to serve the citizens for 12 years as sheriff, and I’d like to say thanks for the last 25 years."