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Police Chief Mel Hunt retires next Tuesday after 39 years of service in Grand Coulee.

It all started for him in 1975, when Hunt signed on as a reserve officer. Then things happened fast, and he was named chief in 1979.

It was a big step then for an Oklahoma farm boy who had lived there and in Colorado before moving with his family to Grand Coulee, where his father, Lester Hunt, took a position with the Bureau of Reclamation.

The idea of retirement came crashing in on Hunt at last Tuesday's city council meeting when council members in turn praised him for his service to the community. After that, Mayor Chris Christopherson rose and went over to pump Hunt's hand and offer his congratulations.

At an earlier meeting, the council had voted to award Hunt his two service guns, fairly normal in police circles.

What's in store for Chief Hunt? It is well known that he likes to take his boat out on the lake and fish. Hunt also is an avid bird hunter, and has a trained dog that works as his assistant.

Hunt also has an extensive shop where he works on about anything and everything.

Well ahead of his retirement, Hunt and his wife, Joyce, had talked about Arkansas, which is known for outstanding fishing.

That went by the wayside and he has contemplated a move, within the community.

Joyce retired from the school district a year ago where she had been active in the district's kitchen at Center Elementary.

Hunt's roots have been planted rather deep here. He attended Grand Coulee High School during his sophomore, junior and senior years., The couple's two sons, Ryan and Adam are graduates of Lake Roosevelt High School. Ryan is a major in the army and Adam is a deputy with the Grant County Sheriff's Office. Earlier he had been a patrol officer in Grand Coulee.

Hunt was active in sports in high school, where he played football and baseball.

He went on to the University of Idaho, where he graduated with a degree in biology and wildlife.

In his long police career here, Hunt has served under six mayors, one of them twice. Among the things he has noted along the way is the growing number of domestic violence cases.

There will be continuity in the department though, as his longtime friend and associate Sgt. John Tufts will become interim chief until the Civil Service Commission goes through the process of providing Mayor Christopherson with a list of qualified candidates. Tuft's hat will be in the ring, he acknowledged some time ago.

Tufts has been in the department since 1984.