Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Police Department.
By AMY RICKER
Great Bend Post
When one thinks of the Great Bend Police Department employees, it's often the police officers that first come to mind because that is who is seen out in public. However, there are several support staff who work at the GBPD.
Sherry Stettinger has been employed at GBPD since 1982. A native of the German town of Schoenchen, Kansas, she dreamed of becoming a counselor/psychologist. It was one school subject that railroaded those plans.
"Then I found out that you had to take a lot of math classes. I was not a good math student, so that took care of that. After that, I never really knew what I wanted to do," said Stettinger.
After high school graduation, Stettinger worked at Travenol Laboratories in Hays before attending Faith Bible College in Great Bend in 1980. Once she moved to the area, she landed a position at Wilson's Cleaning Service. Little did she know, that job would lead to the next 40 years of employment.
"I was cleaning First Kansas Bank one night, and there was a newspaper laying on the coffee table. I just felt pressed to pick up the newspaper and look at the help-wanted ads. There was a position for a Meter Clerk at GBPD, and I started here in 1982," explained Stettinger.
The urge to do "something different" was the driving force behind applying with GBPD. That, and getting involved with the community through the police department.
Parking meters were the norm in downtown Great Bend. Stettinger says that when she was walking her route, she had to pull a canister behind her to carry all of the change she emptied out of the meters.
"I walked the whole district four times every day and would chalk the tires, and then two hours later, I would ticket the cars that hadn't moved and made new chalk lines on the newly parked vehicles," said Stettinger.
After 18 months, Stettinger was promoted to Meter Supervisor and Records Clerk, and in January of 1985, she was promoted to Chief Secretary, where she has been ever since.
Stettinger's daily duties include purchasing all of the office supplies, maintaining personnel files, screen phone calls, payroll, accounts receivable and new employees' onboarding.
"I'm pretty much involved in everything that goes on around here in this department," chuckled Stettinger.
While most employed people in any industry can quickly say what the one thing is that they dislike most about their career, Stettinger is not in that category. She says she's been doing the position for so long that it all comes pretty easy to her these days.
And then she corrected herself.
"Ok, there is one thing. I am not technology-savvy. Computers can be frustrating for me. That would be the toughest part of my job," she said.
The best part?
"It's working with all of the people that I work with. You just become family with these people, especially with so many of them being here for five, ten, or fifteen plus years. It's also the relationship with the citizens who come in that we get to help and just being a part of their lives."
While the average American stays at one job for an average of 4.6 years, Stettinger has been at her job for almost 40 years. When she moved to Great Bend and started working for GBPD, she met her husband, who was a fireman for the Great Bend Fire Department. After getting married and starting their family, she says they didn't have any help with their children.
"With my husband working 24-hour shifts, Police Chief Dean Akins always told me that family comes first. He was wonderful to me by ensuring that I never missed anything that my kids were involved in. If we didn't have a babysitter, he allowed me to stay home until my husband was off work," explained Stettinger. "I had to make those hours up, of course, but he allowed me to have flexibility at a time that jobs just didn't offer people that."
Stettinger says she worked alongside Chief Akins for 29 years and said she had the best of both worlds.
"If I had to work, then I had the best job working. I had a wonderful boss that made sure that I took care of what was most important to me, which was my family," said Stettinger.
The most memorable story occurred just a few months after starting her career. All city employees were required to take a First Aid /CPR class. One of the instructors was named John, and after the course was over, he called and asked her out. A year later, they were married, and this year, John and Sherry will celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary.
With almost 40 years under her belt with GBPD, is retirement on the horizon?
"I told the Chief yesterday that I plan on working here another ten years. I have no plans to retire at this point."