Frank Detelich has packed in a lot of memories in a law enforcement career that spans more than 30 years.

"When you sit next to five KKK members, you can't put it into words what their thoughts are, how they think the world should work. And the energy that was put in to protect the courthouse, protect the visitors, protect the Klan," said Detelich, Mercer's police chief, as he reminisced about the 1998 Ku Klux Klan rally in the borough.

Those and other events were in the thoughts of the long-time police chief, as he reflected on his long tenure with the borough and his plans for retirement.

Detelich is set to retire Sept. 15.

"I started here in 1970 and we had a justice of the peace on South Diamond Street, Don Buckle, where we would take our offenders. It was a $5 fine and a $5 cost," he said with a laugh.

Though fines and court costs run a little more nowadays, the connection between different police departments and the court system remains the same, he said.

"It's very important that people realize in Mercer County as well as Mercer Borough, we have a group of people that really do great jobs and I mean that," Detelich said, referring to the judicial system, the county sheriff's department, the public defender's office, the district attorney's office, as well as other police departments.

"You build a bond working with these people. You see these letters to the editor complaining about (judicial decisions, etc.) and I don't think these people realize that judges have guidelines too," he said.

As for District Attorney Jim Epstein, Detelich said, "He's outstanding, and that's a quote."

In his travels on police business and for training, Detelich would hear other police officers complain about corruption in the governments they dealt with. "You don't have that in Mercer County. Where else could a judge walk to work and not fear for his life?" he said, referring to the late Judge John Q. Stranahan. "Mercer is a safe community."

Traveling will continue to be part of Detelich's life once he formally retires. An avid trap and skeet shooter, he continually wins awards for shooting events and recently won 12 gold medals and two silver medals in the State Police Olympics in Pittsburgh, an event he's participated in since the early 1980s.

"I'm a good shot. A lot of people are down on guns, but you take a sport like trap and skeet shooting and you don't have to be seven feet tall and weigh 248 pounds. Everyone is equal when you step up to the line," he said. "You don't have to be Hulk Hogan."

He also plans to spend more time with his family and working around the family homestead.

But Detelich said he'll miss his other family, the police department.

"It's a family in this department," he said. "They all know who's in charge. I don't believe I ever had to give a direct order. I always asked and they listened."

He will also miss talking with borough council members, mayors and members of the community.

"I've gone through four mayors. I started when I was 22 and Dave Davis was mayor. Then there was Bill Wardle, a fine gentleman, Sam Shilling, and my good friend Jerry Johnson. I'll miss the conversations with Jerry. He's Mr. Mercer," said Detelich. He thinks the current mayor, Chris Portman, will go far in politics. One of Detelich's daughters was Portman's babysitter.

But the 55-year-old knows it's time to try new things and take a different path in life.

"This is a demanding job. The department comes first. There are a lot of sacrifices you have to make. It's not an 8-to-4 job all the time. And you can't buy the time back," he said. "(Acting chief) Dave (Fockler) will do a good job. I'll still come around and go out to lunch with my friends. But they're going to have to buy, because I'm going to be on a fixed income," he added.

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