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NORTON - The Norton Police Department's longtime second-in-command will trade his dress blues for blue skies in two weeks, ending a nearly 30-year career.

Lt. Stanley Walasavage will retire on Oct. 25.

The Norton native and his wife Karen, who works in the J.C. Solmonese Elementary School cafeteria, will move to Oregon, "halfway down the Columbia River."

Walasavage, 53, joined the department as a patrolman in April 1979.

"I think closing in on 30 years has done me well. This is enough," the avid fisherman said Thursday. Police Chief Brian Clark said Walasavage is best known for his work as a Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer, and a community police officer.

"He's been a good representative of the police department in these roles," Clark said.

"He's probably one of the nicest, friendliest guys you've ever met. He's had a good attitude. He'll do everything he can to help somebody."

Like much of the department, Walasavage, 53, grew up here and stayed here.

He graduated from Norton High School in 1973.

His father was a police officer for a while, he said.

The younger Walasavage followed suit in 1979.

"The opportunity was there way back then, and I went for it," he said.

Walasavage said his strong ties to his hometown is "going to make it real difficult" to leave for the West Coast.

"From the patrolmen to everybody in town, like anybody, you move, but you remember lots of things for the rest of your life," Walasavage said. Walasavage said he enjoyed working with the school's DARE program, for example.

Norton introduced the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program into the schools in 1992. State Trooper David Paine taught the 45-minute lessons, with Walasavage's help.

Some of the times were heartbreaking, though.

Incidents such as the horrific fatal shooting of resident Elizabeth Cann by her ex-boyfriend Robert McDermott in August 2007 were "the difficult times," Walasavage said.

"These are the things I remember. Corey Anderson. The shooting. The senseless things that were done. Those are the thing that I'll remember," Walasavage said.

In 1999, Corey, a 9-year-old boy, got lost in a snowstorm looking for his dog. He was found after an extensive 72-hour search.

Walasavage was the police department's second-in-command for about 18 years.

He previously took the Civil Service Exam for police chief.

He was the top scorer in 1999. However, then-Town Manager Christopher McCabe appointed acting Bruce Finch police chief, citing his leadership skills and management style. Walasavage appealed the decision to the state Civil Service Commission, but Finch remained chief.

Finch retired on Dec. 31, 2007. Walasavage said he missed the cut-off score for finalists by a few points. Town Manager James Purcell appointed Clark, who was overseeing the detective division.

Walasavage said this situation barely influenced his decision to retire.

"If it had something to do with it, it was very miniscule," he said.

Walasavage said he doubts he'll become a police officer in Oregon.

He's trading his sidearm for a fishing pole.

A good spot for catching steelhead as big as 18 1/2 pounds is less than six miles away, he said.

"I'm looking forward to hitting the river," Walasavage said.

A retirement party is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at the Norton Country Club.

Clark said police have requisitioned a list of lieutenant candidates from the civil service board.

Norton will choose two lieutenants: one to succeed Walasavage, the other to oversee detectives, as a result of restructuring the department.

MICHAEL GELBWASSER covers Norton for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.