Officer calls it a career after helping at thousands of accident scenes
On his last day as a police officer after 23 years, the employees at the restaurant presented the lieutenant with a white-and-orange sheet cake and hung colorful balloons at his favorite table. It was a token of the appreciation they feel for Roberts, both as a public servant and as a friend they have come to cherish over the years.
"Barry has been eating with us ever since we opened. We've watched him grow and become a good friend. He's really a genuine person," said restaurant owner
Roberts spent his time with the
The vast majority turned out to be routine, but an unfortunate fraction resulted in fatalities. Roberts too often found himself arriving at the doorstep of the next of kin of a son or daughter or husband or wife to tell them their loved one had died -- a task that never became easier.
"When you pull up in front of that house, you know you are fixing to change somebody's life forever," Roberts told
Roberts remembers one late evening when he arrived with a chaplain at the home of a man whose relative had died in a crash. The man tried to keep Roberts from opening the screen door between them, desperately putting off the inevitable notification of his loss.
During his career, Roberts has endured the sobering and unwelcome task of notifying relatives about the death of a family member dozens upon dozens of times. He often took on the role rather than leave it to another traffic officer, despite his own anguish.
The 49-year-old former military police officer in the
His aunt, the late
"
He started out as a patrol officer, then transferred to traffic. He made responding to traffic calls a calling.
"Something about crashes, and trying to put them back together and figure out what happened," Roberts said.
Police Maj.
"We're very proud of the work he's done," Schultz said.
In retirement, Roberts will devote time with his wife, Teresa, and their 17-year-old son John and 14-year-old daughter Emily. After decompressing from his police career, Roberts may pursue a job with an insurance company as an investigator or field adjustor.
As people in the community learned that Roberts' last day as an officer was approaching, he had many people thank him for his service.
One of the most memorable expressions of gratitude during his career came from the father of an adolescent he apprehended for shoplifting at the
"He said the best thing that ever happened to his son was being arrested by me," Roberts said, as afterward the child stayed out of trouble.
In other instances over the years, he's had motorists who he cited for speeding or not wearing a seat belt later thank him for compelling them think about safety.
"I've had people call me and say that either the citation I gave them or warning ticket I gave has changed their life," Roberts said. "They started wearing their seat belt or slowed down. And they've either been in a crash or near crash and they weren't injured."
[email protected] -- 888-3528 -- @HPEpaul
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