Operations Division Chief Jim Chamberlin retired on Dec. 21 after serving the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office for more than 28 years.

“I got to work with some of the most compassionate, empathetic, and caring people you could ever meet,” said Chamberlin, who has since moved to Arizona.

On Chamberlin’s last day, his daughter, who is a dispatcher for the county, ended his watch by giving a speech over the radio in his honor:

“He began his career as a deputy in the jail and eventually moved to the operations division where he worked his way up to division chief, serving as a K-9 handler, a detective, an FTO (field training officer), and a member of the bomb squad,” said his daughter, Marina. “I’m so proud to call you my dad.”

When asked about the highlights of his role as Division Chief, Chamberlin said, “My proudest moment on the job is when they hired my daughter … I wanted my last call on the radio to be with her.”

In September of 1995, he began as a deputy and progressively worked his way up the ranks.

Chamberlin had dreamt about becoming an officer since he was 15 or 16. He recalled that his dad was a police lieutenant in Massachusetts and he wanted to carry on the legacy.

During his time with the sheriff’s office, Chamberlin dealt with major catastrophes in Boulder County like the Marshall Fire and the 2013 flood. A third of his career was spent as the assigned sergeant in Superior.

On top of that, Chamberlin recalled two memorable bomb squad calls his unit was dispatched to in Nederland.“One was a man making homemade explosives in his house. The other was a man who placed a bomb at the Nederland Police Department to get revenge for a murder that took place in 1971,” said Chamberlin.

To thank him for his prodigious years on duty, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office wished Chamberlin a happy retirement via a Facebook post.

In addition, Boulder Sheriff Curtis Johnson personally congratulated Chamberlin on his retirement.

“Division Chief Chamberlin provided nearly three decades of service to Boulder County and we will miss him,” said Johnson. “I always appreciated his advice, as he was one of the most ethical and compassionate people I have worked with. I wish him well in his next adventure and I know he will enjoy spending more time with his family.”

Chamberlin said he wanted to recognize all the hard work that his coworkers have done in the past.

“I wish cops would tell their stories more …” said Chamberlin. “You see all the bad stuff about police; I saw cops help people out left and right. They didn’t want anybody to notice … They just wanted to help.”

Following Chamberlin’s retirement, Jason Oehlkers will be stepping into the role of the operations division chief.