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Beeson retires after long career serving city as police officer

Now-retired Salem Police Lt. Donn Beeson proudly served the community for 34 years of full-time service. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

SALEM — Salem Police Lt. Donn Beeson advised his fellow officers to turn him around and point him toward the door if he shows up in uniform Monday morning.

“When the new hires start calling you ‘Grandpa’ it’s time to go,” he quipped with his trademark grin.

That’s Beeson. Always quick with a joke, but also the first to offer assistance with anything and everything. Reliable and dependable. Hard-working and compassionate.

The new retiree said it’s kind of strange realizing he won’t be coming to the station to work after 34 years of full-time service and an additional three years part-time and on the auxiliary.

He had been jokingly counting down the days for months. But now that time’s up, he said it’s sad to be saying goodbye to the job and the people he’s come to know.

“Bottom line, I’m grateful for the abilities God gave me to do this job and the protection He gave me over the years,” Beeson said.

At age 63, he admitted he’s smart enough to know his body can’t do what it used to, even though it was just three years ago that he ran down and tackled a much younger shoplifter who fled a local store. As they wrestled over his Taser, he was happy when fellow Patrolman Dave Banar arrived to help out.

“There is a camaraderie in police work because you depend on each other so much. I wouldn’t be retiring this week if it hadn’t been for guys who have had my back all these years,” he said.

As a youngster, this was his dream job. Another of his jokes was that he wanted to be a computer programmer, but they hadn’t been invented yet, so he opted for police work, although not right away.

He worked at Mullins Mfg. as a laborer in the shop, then in production control at Bliss. Right out of high school, he attended Kent State Salem and earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice. But he wasn’t old enough to become a police officer since he wasn’t 21. Plus he made a lot more money at Bliss. His rate was $12 per hour when he was laid off in 1982.

He had already taken the civil service exam and had been on the Salem police auxiliary for three years, then was hired as a part-time patrolman on May 20, 1983 and became full-time on Oct.1, 1983 making $7.25 per hour. He said the job was exciting and he had a taste for it.

He made sergeant on Aug. 24, 1989 and became a lieutenant on March 14, 1995. Chief John Sommers hired him and he worked under Chiefs Mike Weitz and Bob Floor before Chief J.T. Panezott took the helm. Richard Whinnery was chief when he started on the auxiliary. He’s also worked under numerous mayors and service/safety directors over the years.

When Panezott was hired as a police officer in July 1989, Beeson had been the last hired, but that wasn’t their first encounter.

Home after finishing basic training in the U.S. Army, Panezott got into a fight with a Marine in front of a local bar four years earlier. Beeson and Floor broke it up and placed him under arrest for disorderly conduct. Beeson made an impact on him then and still does now. He learned from him as a young patrolman and always calls him Lt. Beeson, even as chief.

“I think it’s out of how much respect (I have) for him as a police officer and a man,” Panezott said.

As the administrative lieutenant, he was second-in-command and the chief had no worries when he left for vacation. Beeson gave him advice and helped him and for all that, Panezott said he owes him a debt of gratitude.

“He’s old school — if there’s a job to be done, he’s going to do it, whether he’s getting paid or not. He cares about everybody in this town,” he said, adding he’ll be missed.

Beeson described his job as just public relations. He talked to people, he talked to kids and he was known to sometimes buy a Polar Pop for whomever was in line behind him at Circle K. At Halloween, he spent his own money for candy to pass out at the various Trunk or Treats. He commented that “people might not always remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you said it to them.”

There were a lot of fun times and some funny calls, but if there was one part of the job he was not prepared for, it was dealing with death. Three times in his career he had to do CPR on an infant — that’s a bad day. As a volunteer firefighter with Winona, he recalled three kids killed in one fire. That’s a tragedy he shared with fellow firefighter and officer John Scheets. Whether it’s during a welfare check or accident or some other incident, there’s no easy way to tell someone their family member has died.

“I guess I’m fortunate that going through the experience we did, I understand a little better what people go through,” he said.

He and his wife, Mary Lou, lost their son Greg to a motor vehicle accident when he was a junior in high school. They have two other sons, Brandon and Ricky, and two grandsons.

He offered thanks for all his wife endured during his career, the times when he left during a storm to serve the community, leaving her with the kids and no electricity. She learned over the years by his demeanor whether it was a bad day. She always supported him.

She also retired Friday after 38 years at Salem Regional Medical Center as a floor secretary/monitor technician. Their plans now include visiting Amish country, spending time with family and traveling.

Panezott named former part-time Patrolman Dave Young as the department’s new full-time officer to fill the spot left vacant by Beeson’s departure. Young’s first stint in Salem lasted two years. Then he left last year for a full-time job as a deputy with the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office. Beeson played a part in the process to select a replacement, with Young sworn in Friday, again as a patrolman.

“He’s got some really big shoes to fill. Lt. Beeson worked hard every day of his career. I expect Dave will do the same,” Panezott said.

According to a proclamation issued by Mayor John Berlin, Beeson’s 34 years of full-time service to the city covered a total of: 12,410 days; 8,840 working days; 1,768 weeks; and 70,720 hours. The mayor honored and commended him and wished both him and his family good health and happiness.

The proclamation was read during a celebratory luncheon at Boneshakers attended by current and former fellow officers, including Panezott and three of his chief predecessors, Floor, Weitz and Sommers, along with the mayor, city Service/Safety Director Ken Kenst, representatives from the county prosecutor’s office, fellow members of the Fraternal Order of Police Quaker Lodge, friends and family.

Beeson said he’ll remain active in the FOP and his church, Greenford Christian. He’s also still involved in Boy Scouts, but he’s no longer with the fire department which he served for 15 years. He’s planning to spend a lot more time on the Greenway Trail and exploring other bike trails. He said the community has been great to him and his family.

His parting advice for rookies is that being a police officer isn’t just a job.

“You show up to be with the community. If you build a rapport with them, they’ll support you,” he said.

mgreier@salemnews.net

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