This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the retirement party of Paul Allen. Many of you in the Luverne community know him as the former Chief of Police for the Luverne Police Department.

Naturally, I haven’t know Mr. Paul very long, but in the short time I’ve known him I’ve come to easily see why the vast majority of people in the area love him.

He is a kind and caring individual. Even better than that is the fact that he is genuine. While I have never taken him up on the offer, I have heard him say time and time again that if his fellow officers need him to call him.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s three in the morning or three in the afternoon. Call me,” is how he likes to finish off that statement; and I truly believe him when he says that.

He just strikes me as the kind of man who will do what he says and will say what he means. This is one of the qualities I believe made him a good chief.

It’s hard to find that kind of dedication nowadays in people, let alone government officials, but Mr. Paul was certainly a man of integrity.

Even if you didn’t know him personally, just watching the faces of his fellow officers as he did his final radio sign off proved what an impact he has had on their lives.

Grown men were brought to tears, and to me it seemed like Mr. Paul held back a few of his own as he accepted his tokens of appreciation.

Isn’t that the kind of legacy you want to leave behind? When you come to the end of your career, don’t you want to look around the room at the people you’ve not only served with but served for and know that you made an impact?

That’s what I want, for sure. I want to know that what I do makes an impact in the lives of those around me, and I want to know that what I did made a difference.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Paul in December and write a farewell article about his time on the force, and just from that short time together I could see how much love he has for his city. Not only that, but I could also see how serious he was about his job; it’s never been a calling he took lightly.

Mr. Paul, I might not have known you very long, but if I do say so myself you truly embody what this city’s motto is: The Friendliest City in the South. Personally, I think Mr. Paul could be the mascot of the city with his personality and demeanor.

I hope you enjoy your retirement and all the relaxation that comes with it, Mr. Paul!