Hanging up his badge (sort of) after 49 years
Staff writer
After 49 years in law enforcement in Marion County Duane McCarty called it a career – sort of.
While McCarty will not be on a force as a full-time officer, he agreed to work part-time on a very limited basis for the Marion Police Department.
“My last day was Saturday,” he told the Record. “It was very emotional.”
Since his last day with the Hillsboro Police Department was just four days ago he must wait 30 days per KPERS rules to return to be a part-time officer. The 30 days off will be the most he has ever had in his life,
Being part-time would allow McCarty to pick and choose when he wants to work. For example, if he does not want to work on Christmas or weekends, he won’t, adding he might work three to four days a month.
Of his 49-year career, the last 26 were full time, with the first 23 being part time.
He remembers where his fascination with law enforcement began.
As a 14-year-old boy he remembers seeing a car leaving the motorcycle races in Florence at a high rate of speed before hitting a dip, causing the car to go airborne. He thought to himself that if he was an officer he would have responded and dealt with the incident.
McCarty’s father and mother were with the Florence Police Department on a part-time basis. His brother also served as a police chief in a neighboring community.
His own law enforcement began in 1977 when the Florence police chief asked him and his father for help during the Florence Grand Prix motorcycle races, which he said, was a lot worse than today, with people looking for trouble.
The races back then attracted 600 to 700 people from everywhere, and filled up all of the lots
At the time the Florence Police Department consisted of the police chief and McCarty’s dad, who worked weekends.
After the race the police chief asked him to stay with the department as a part-time officer.
It was also a family calling. Besides his father working as a part-time officer in Florence, his brother being an officer and police chief, his mom was a police dispatcher in Florence.
McCarty later became a part-time officer for the communities of Peabody and Towanda, though his primary job remained being a mechanic because officers were not paid enough.
In 2003 that changed when then Marion Police Chief Michael Soyez hired McCarty to be a full-time officer.
In 2006 Marion County undersheriff Randy Brazil asked him to work there.
At the sheriff’s office he was an investigator for crimes against children.
“I worked a lot of cases, and they started bothering me,” he said. “It started changing my personality.”
He was hired back with the MPD, and instantly had several cases involving crimes against children.
“I thought it was God’s calling that the children needed someone to investigate for them,” he said.
In January 2022, McCarty was selected the Marion interim chief before Hillsboro Police Chief Jessey Hiebert hired him.
McCarty gave his two-weeks notice, a week before the raid at the Marion County Record, and he was honored when asked for his final role as a Marion officer to be the escort for the funeral for former publisher Joan Meyer.
He finished his law enforcement career with the HPD, but waited to give his notice until his replacement was hired.
“In today’s world people don’t want to be cops,” he said.
Since he now has more time, McCarty might return to being a disc jockey Saturday nights. He also once played in a band.
He stopped because his work schedule did not allow the time for it.
He also will have the time for fishing with friends and family, taking road trips to see his daughter in Colorado, and other places.
His wife, who works at St. Luke Medical Clinic, is five years from retirement age, so he might have to take the trips alone for the time being.
“I needed weekends off to be with my wife,” he said.