Cape's assistant police chief retires after 30 years with the department

On Friday, Cape Girardeau assistant police chief Randy Roddy stepped down after 30 years in the department, his retirement causing a string of promotions down the chain of command.

Roddy started as a Cape Girardeau patrol officer in 1978 at the age of 22 after graduating from Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in law enforcement and completing two internships with the police department.

At that time, the department, then a lot smaller, had just moved into its current headquarters at 40 S. Sprigg St.

In the past three decades, Roddy, now 52, has seen newer technology, such as Tasers and chemical spray, change the face of law enforcement.

He has seen Cape Girardeau, under former chief Ray Johnson, become one of the first area police departments to introduce sobriety checkpoints at a time when drunken driving accidents made up about 50 percent of all traffic fatalities, Roddy said.

Randy Roddy

"I was an aggressive DWI enforcer as a patrol officer, so it fit me well," Roddy said.

In 1994, Roddy was assigned to support services within the department, a responsibility that carries over the role of assistant chief. Support services involves management of the jail, purchase of vehicles and equipment, and training oversight.

"I've been blessed because everything I've been asked to do here, I've enjoyed," Roddy said.

Roddy took over as assistant chief three years ago, when Steve Strong retired as chief and Carl Kinnison took his place.

In addition to support services, Roddy's responsibilities as assistant chief involve overseeing hiring and handling the budget, the latter becoming increasingly difficult in today's economy.

"This fiscal year coming up is where it's really gotten tight," Roddy said, adding "I think the challenges lie ahead."

Roddy, a Missouri native, plans to relocate to Dallas with his wife to volunteer with Wycliffe Bible Translators Inc., a not-for-profit mission organization.

Roddy's departure leaves not only the position of assistant chief up for grabs, but creates openings at captain, lieutenant, sergeant, corporal and patrol officer, Kinnison said.

The jobs will be filled from within the department, except for one outside hire for a patrol officer, Kinnison said.

In addition to the wave of promotions, Lt. Mark Majoros and Lt. Tracy Lemonds are switching jobs within the department, with Lemonds, head of the detective division, taking over as supervisor of special operations.

Majoros, who oversees traffic, nuisance abatement and school resource officers, will assume Lemonds' job as supervisor of investigations.

"They both decided they would like to move, and worked it out amongst themselves," Kinnison said.

Kinnison said he considers job rotation a healthy thing for any organization, and the structure of the department typically allows for those lateral moves and rotation.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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