Chief Jim Roberson prepares for January retirement

It took Homewood's police chief months to decide that, after 42 years of service, he was ready to retire. Once he felt peace with the decision, however, Jim Roberson didn't hesitate.

"You look around and see some things you're missing out on," Roberson said. "Then you get up one day, like I did this week, and I just knew. I said, 'Today's the day.'"

Roberson told the police department on Thursday that his last day will be Jan. 1, 2016, and there's already a garbage can in his office to clean out files he no longer needs. The picture frames on his walls will begin coming down over the next few months to be taken home.

They reflect a career that started and ended at Homewood PD: famous people Roberson has met, record drug busts he has made and a certificate from his time at the FBI National Academy. He's particularly fond of a framed drawing from a young girl whose mother witnessed a burglary and provided information that helped police catch the criminals. The drawing shows cops handcuffing a man as the girl and her mother look on. Scrawled in a child's hands are the words "Thanks for catching the bad guys! Your [sic] the best!"

"42 years - there's a lot of stories there," Roberson said.

Roberson became Homewood's chief in 2011, after 37 years at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. He said he had worked for sheriffs who were both good friends and good mentors, but he wanted a chance to run his own department. Homewood felt like the right fit, especially since it was where he spent his first two years as a police officer.

"I have done just about everything I wanted to do in my 42-year career," Roberson said. "My dream job was this one... By and large, I am satisfied with my career here."

His time as the chief has come with its difficult moments, Roberson acknowledged. Some of those recently included a short suspension by the mayor for insubordination in 2014, and an allegation by an officer that Roberson had scheduled him to work overtime covering a Black Lives Matter event because the officer was black.

However, Roberson said from the start that he was leaving on good terms with the city and he didn't want to talk about those things today; he wanted to talk about his memories and the things he's proud to leave behind.

Those memories included a wide array of subjects. Roberson recalled when he started as a 22-year-old officer, all he carried on his belt was a revolver, ammunition, a pair of handcuffs and a baton.

"And I thought that was a lot when you try to run with that," Roberson said.

Now, an average officer is carrying a semi-automatic weapon, TASER, chemical spray, a radio and possibly a body camera in addition to the handcuffs and baton.

When he returned to Homewood as chief, Roberson said the department did not have a K-9 unit. There are now three dogs and handlers. He also hired a cyber crime investigator and community service officers, and he implemented a single-use vehicle program that allows each officer to have their own police vehicle, instead of handing the keys to another officer at the next shift.

"I'm extremely proud of that. I appreciate the mayor going along with that. We've never had that here," Roberson said.

The job came with unexpected challenges. Roberson remembers trying to implement community outreach programs like the JCSO had, so people could see the officers instead of just the uniforms. With a city only eight square miles, he thought it would be easy. When he first tried to start a Citizens Police Academy, however, there were only six attendees: three members of the PD and three of his relatives and friends.

He's had more success over time. Roberson said the CPA typically has 20-30 people per class now, and other programs like Coffee with a Cop bring the chance for residents to meet their police. They also do charity and public service work, such as Beards for Bucks, Tip a Cop and the Torch Run. He wants this visibility and outreach to counteract bad press about the police on a national level.

Roberson has his regrets and unrealized projects as he counts down his final days. He wanted to see the police department move into a new building before he left, and he noted that the department's hiring has become more difficult over time. Among participating cities in the Jefferson County Personnel Board, Homewood is ranked 8th in pay scale for public safety personnel, and Roberson said that can deter some high-quality applicants.

However, he knows the time is right. Roberson said he felt it while watching one of his four grandchildren at a baseball game this week. It was a rare moment that he wasn't thinking about work or making sure he had cell service, and Roberson said it felt right. He also joked that he could almost hear his wife shouting all the way from their home in Palmerdale that she was happy with the decision.

"There's technically times when I'm not here [at the department], but I'm never not thinking about this. So you're not really off," he said.

With his new spare time, Roberson will be seeing his four grandchildren and doing more volunteer work, especially with veterans, as well as getting involved in his church. He said he doesn't plan to return to law enforcement.

"The time is right for me to go," Roberson said.

Mayor Scott McBrayer cannot request a list of qualified candidates to replace the chief until Roberson officially vacates his position in the new year. Those candidates must have taken and passed the police chief's test. Between Jan. 1 and the hire of the new chief, Deputy Chief Bob Copus will act as the interim head of the department.