DECATUR — After 28 years of public service to three police agencies, Chief Terry Luker is trading in his pistol for a hay rake when he transitions from public service into private life as he retires from the Decatur Police Department May 1.
Luker has been a fixture on the Decatur Police Department for 19 years, working his way up from a patrol officer to police chief.
Luker's plans for retirement are straightforward, attend his farm in northwest Decatur, spend more time with his family, including his wife and mother, and take road trips on his Harley.
Almost every August, Luker and his wife Jeannie make the long trip to Sturgis in South Dakota, to the biggest motorcycle rally in the United States. He admits that he wants to tour the country by motorcycle and hopes to get to Colorado in the near future. But he has other things he needs to take care of first.
"There are other interests I would like to pursue now," said Luker. "I have done this for 28 years and that is long enough. Now, I am ready to hit the open road."
Luker is no stranger to law enforcement, having grown up with a father who was an officer for the Springdale Police Department. On occasion his father would take him on "ride along" to let him see first hand some of the situations officers have to face on the beat.
"When I was younger, I didn't want to be a police officer," said Luker. "As a kid I saw a lot of things that most people would never want to see."
Luker's desire to follow in his father's footsteps as a police officer was not immediate. After high school, he went into the military. However, the lure of serving the community as an officer of the law began to draw him in. When he was 27, Luker entered the police academy and thereafter became a fully certified officer of the law.
"It was a decision that I was happy to make and I wouldn't change anything about it," said Luker.
His first job came in March of 1990 when he was hired as a sheriff's deputy for the Benton County Sheriff's Office in Bentonville. A few years later, he became a patrol officer for the Gravette Police Department and then came to Decatur.
"I did about five years with Benton County. Then I went to Gravette and did another five years there," Luker said. "I started in Decatur in August of 1998 and I've been here ever since."
For Luker, the transition from a larger police department like the sheriff's office to the small-town police force of Decatur was different in that, in the small town, it was more likely an officer would catch the criminals.
"When you work a bigger law enforcement agency like Benton County, if you work a burglary, chances of you solving that burglary were really slim,'" Luker said. "But when you come to a small town like Decatur, everybody sees everything and you have a better chance of solving crimes."
Four years after joining the Decatur Police Department, on Jan. 1, 2002, Luker became police chief, a position he held for more than 15 years. In that time since taking the job, Luker has seen a shift in how people deal with problems from loose dogs to kids running through flowerbeds to loud music, things about which people would most likely not have called the police.
"Several years ago, people would handle disputes on their own," Luker said. "Today, they rely more on the police to resolve their disputes. The laws are constantly changing to reflect this shift and, sometimes, it's hard to keep up with those changes."
When the Decatur city council voted to purchase the old telephone company building on Main Street, Luker's department had a new home, one which had been needed for a long time.
"We finally have a little breathing room," Luker said. "The old third grade classroom at city hall was far too small for our department to function. With the new police station, we have enough room for the officers to do their reports without bumping into each other."
During the March 13 regular session, the city council voted to hire Joe Savage to take Luker's place. This is a move that Luker was glad to see.
"I think Joe will make a great police chief," said Luker. "He was a big asset to me and I couldn't have done this job without him. I have a lot of faith in his abilities."
In January of 2014, Luker's youngest son, Jeremy, was hired to replace David Flynt as Decatur fire chief. During the Jan. 14, 2014, city council meeting, then-mayor Charles Linam called on Chief Luker for his report to the board. Both Lukers stood up and answered the mayor at the same time. From that point on, Mayor Linam and current mayor, Bob Tharp, ask either "Police Chief Luker" or "Fire Chief Luker" for his department reports.
The Luker family has always been an integral part of the community. His older son, Dwayne, an engineer, worked on several projects at the Decatur Wastewater Treatment plant. Jeannie Luker is one of the organizers of the Samaritan's Feet Project at Decatur Northside Elementary. Working with her employer, Walmart Distribution Center 6051, she fit every student with a new pair of socks and shoes, an effort in which she takes great pride.
Luker himself works with the Decatur Veterans Committee and was one of the organizers of the Decatur Veterans Parade in November of 2016.
On May 1, Terry Luker will embark on a new journey, one that he and Jeannie plan to share together for many years to come. He will leave behind 28 years of memories -- some good, some bad -- memories he will forever hold close to his heart.
"I love my job and I love dealing with people," said Luker. "That part I am going to miss wholeheartedly. When you do something for this long, you are going to miss it. There are some really good people in Decatur. It's going to be different, but it's something I've got to do."
And, to his Decatur family and friends, Luker expresses his appreciation.
"I have had the privilege to work with a lot of great people, a lot of great officers," said Luker," I would like to thank all the people in Decatur for all of their support over the past several years. Together, we have gotten through a lot of challenges, both good and bad. I have made a lot of friends in my journey over the years and it has been a great ride."
General News on 03/29/2017