Blackmore gets big ‘last day’ send-off

WYATT RICHARDSON & DAVE MOSIER/Van Wert independent

While April 15 is normally a big day for many taxpayers, this year it was huge for Van Wert Police Officer Greg Blackmore, who officially retired Wednesday after 30 years on the police department — 24 of those as city DARE officer.

During those decades of service, Officer Blackmore inspired and educated many young students through the DARE program, not only teaching them the dangers of drugs and smoking, but how to be successful young men and women as well.

Going above and beyond what was expected should have been etched on Blackmore’s VWPD badge. In addition to teaching the DARE program, the officer regularly took late night (and early morning) calls from troubled students and worried parents, as well as pulling a shift as a regular patrol officer. 

The veteran officer took some time Wednesday to reflect on his 30-year career on the local police force.

“I would have to say my most rewarding experience has been working with all of the kids over the years,” Blackmore said. “I know an officer’s job is to protect and serve, and I feel I’ve done both during my time, but I would say somewhat different than other officers because of becoming a DARE officer 24 years ago.”

And, while he feels he was a good patrol officer, Blackmore said he feels his school duties are his legacy to the community.

“Don’t get me wrong, I made my fair share of arrests, but I feel I had more of an impact on the community being a DARE officer ad school liaison officer,” he noted. “I look at the amount of students that I have taught over the years on trying to stay on the right path in life, and I strongly feel that a lot of them have listened. I know there were some that didn’t, but I have tried never to give up in helping them to.”

If the number of signs in the community thanking Blackmore for his service to Van Wert’s youthful population means anything, a lot of parents and kids were listening.

In addition to helping kids, Blackmore has developed friendships with young and old alike over the past three decades.

“The amount of friends that I have made during my career is unbelievable, and I know even after retirement they will still be there for me, and I will be there for them,” Blackmore said.

Many of those friends are those he has worked with over the past 30 years, he added, while also thanking the police chiefs and city officials who have given the DARE program, and him, support over the years.

“The amount of support that the city and department has given me over the 30 years is unbelievable, and I will always be there to support them also,” Blackmore said. “I am really going to miss working with all of the supervisors, officers, and dispatchers … but I know I will stay in contact.” 

The veteran police officer also took a minute to put in some good words for law enforcement officers and the career to which he gave the past 30 years.

“As law enforcement (officers), we tend to catch a lot of grief from some citizens about how we perform our duties,” Blackmore noted. “I am in no way saying anyone is perfect, but we try our hardest to perform our duties at the utmost for our city.

“It isn’t getting any easier in our world today to be a police officer, but you still have brave individuals stepping forward to protect and serve,” he added.

Blackmore also acknowledged the world has changed more than a little since he took the oath as a police officer, along with his brother, Jeff, on April 5, 1990. 

“The thing that has changed the most over the past 30 years … would have to be respect,” he said. “Not only the respect towards law enforcement, but also the overall respect that some people have towards each other.”

However, as Blackmore saw Wednesday on his last day on the job, there’s loads of respect in the Van Wert community for his service to the DARE program and the city’s children.