Officer Jack Springer, left, is retiring from the Cullman Police Department with 50 years of service. Capt. Bobby Kelley, right, is retiring from the Cullman Police Department with 35 years of service. (W.C. Mann for The Cullman Tribune)
CULLMAN – On Friday, the Cullman Police Department (CPD) held a luncheon to honor Officer Jack Springer and Capt. Bobby Kelley on their retirement from the force. Kelley celebrated 35 years with the department in October, and in June, Springer received a one-of-a-kind custom 50-year service pin.
After receiving his 50-year pin, Springer was featured in The Tribune. See www.cullmantribune.com/articles/2018/07/07/half-century-service-meet-cullman-police-officer-jack-springer.
Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs presented both officers certificates of service, saying to Springer, “Thank you for the years. Thank you for the service. And all of Cullman appreciates it.”
The mayor described Kelley as an officer “who exemplifies dedicated service in all the different things you did over the years.”
Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview was on hand to present resolutions to the officers from the county’s legislative delegation.
Shedd also presented a resolution honoring 40-year veteran Terry Heaton. For more on Heaton, the CPD’s only remaining Vietnam veteran, see www.cullmantribune.com/articles/2018/07/03/40-years-meet-cpd-s-only-remaining-vietnam-veteran-terry-heaton.
Following that, the two officers received plaques from Services Officer Nick Harbison on behalf of Dispatch and were presented with plaques and the cases for their duty pistols by Chief Kenny Culpepper. By department policy and tradition, both officers will retain their service weapons and badges in retirement.
After the ceremony, Culpepper told The Tribune, “Jack’s just been here the whole time I’ve been here; just–I walked in the door and he was here. And Bobby came on shortly thereafter and, like I said, I’ve known him my entire life. We went to school together, played football together and have been lifelong friends.
“It’s a fun day that they’re retiring, but then again it’s a sad day for me personally, because of the relationships that we’ve had over the years, that we’ll continue to have, but just not in an official capacity.”
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