By Lori EhdeIf he enjoys retiring from law enforcement half as much as he enjoys his retirement from the fire department, Sergeant Kurt Kester said he’s going to be "the most laid-back guy in the world."After nearly 30 years of fighting crime and protecting public safety in Rock County, Kester said he’s ready to turn in the badge."I’m really looking forward to this summer," Kester said. "This will be the first time in 30 years we won’t have to plan a month in advance for a weekend vacation."He said his work has taught him a great deal about law enforcement and about life in general. "What they train you to do in law enforcement school compared with what you end up doing is unbelievable," he said. "There are things you do, there’s just no training for."He said he’s learned to trust his instincts in crisis situations. "I’ve learned I can do more than I realize," he said. "When I have to, I get it done." One example was the gas leak at Gold’n Plump five years ago when employees were falling ill for an unknown reason."You find yourself into things up to your neck, and you don’t think about it until after it’s over. Then I say, ‘Gee, I did that?’"Kester said this confidence is especially important in domestic violence calls. "They can be dangerous, because tempers flare and the flash point has already been hit," he said. "You can talk yourself through it all the way there, and when you’re there, it just unfolds and you get it done."If there’s advice he can offer to the newer deputies in the department it’s this: "Look out for No. 1," he said. "I keep myself safe, so I can go home at the end of the day. Beyond that, I help out if I can."He said new deputies, including himself when he started, often think they’re invincible. "You need to keep on your toes and don’t let down your guard," he said. "That badge isn’t a shield."Despite his experience in dangerous situations, Kester has a reputation for being helpful with the victims he encounters."He would sit and talk to them and calm them down," said former Sheriff Ron McClure. "He wouldn’t rush them off. He dealt with women and children well."Part of that, Kester said, comes from having a family of his own. "I raised two children, and I know when they’re hurting," he said. "It’s common sense to me that you’ve gotta take care of them."He said one of the most difficult family cases he’s handled involved a 10-year-old girl who was sexually abused. "That one had me bunched up for quite awhile," he said.He also mentioned the December 2001 True Value arson, which he dealt with as a fireman and a law enforcement officer, and of course, the 2001 Carrie Nelson murder."That’s still a festering sore," Kester said about the unsolved case.A troubling trend he’s noticed is that officers are getting called to handle petty problems more frequently."It’s getting to the point where you end up with a babysitter’s license more than a peace officer’s license," he said. "It’s time for this old stuck in his ways sergeant to go. … My patience is shot."Nobody takes responsibility anymore for themselves or for their kids. Personal responsibility has become so poor. Everything is everybody else’s fault and someone is always to blame."He said this is true not only in Rock County, but in state and national government as well."We’ve got too many parents trying to be friends with their kids. They’re not getting values across … We’ve lost that someplace."That said, Kester said he looks back on his 30-year career with no regrets."This is a wonderful community — quiet and conservative," he said. "It’s got to be one of the best-run departments in the world. It’s given me the opportunity to do things I might not have otherwise had a chance to do."His retirement officially starts May 30, and he said he’s most looking forward to having time to enjoy some things he hasn’t had enough time for. For example, he’ll spend more time on a favorite hobby, rail car riding. He and his wife, Sue, will spend time in Duluth next month on a rail car outing.They also plan to see more of their children. Casey is a state trooper and he and his wife, Paula (Kuik), live in Truman. Kara and her husband, Chris Scherbring, live and work in Winona.The icing on his retirement cake will come this fall when Kara is expecting a baby — making Kester a first-time grandpa.The public is invited to a retirement party for Kester on Friday, June 13, in the Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center.Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner will be served at 6:30, and the program starts at 7:30.Call Dispatch Supervisor Terri Ebert at 283-5000 by Monday, June 9, for reservations.
