For more than two decades Jon Golden was called chief by the men and women of the Macedonia Police Department.
At the end of the shift on February 3rd, Chief Golden officially became Jon, the former chief of Macedonia Police.
Golden, 57, stepped from his cruiser into civilian life, retiring from the job he loved after more than 30 total years and becoming the city’s youngest chief at 36. in 2002.
Golden was the first person in his immediate family to pursue law enforcement. He was inspired by the fathers of friends and one of those friends who were all police officers.
“I’m like well that seems like a decent career,” Golden remembered.
His decent career began in 1990 in the same town where it ended more than three decades later.
Golden could not think of a particular memory or incident, good or bad, which stood out in his career.
“There has been so many,” Golden said. “There is nothing right now.”
Golden is proud that he always tried to do his best for the city, the department, and the residents.
“I always tried to do what was right and not worry about how popular it was,” Golden said. “People may not agree with what you did but they’ll understand you were doing the best you could or what was best for the city even though it might not have been the most popular.”
He will miss the camaraderie with the officers, dispatchers, other chiefs and city hall employees, he said.
One of those officers is his former executive lieutenant, Vincent Yakopovich.
“Chief Golden has always been approachable and easy to talk to throughout his career,” Yakopovich said. “He was instrumental in modernizing our department.”
Golden was not able to see all his men and women before he signed out for the last time.
“But the good thing is I live in the town where I worked and I live on a main street and the guys are going to drive by all the time,” Golden said. “Hopefully some of them will stop by and catch up. I can give them water or a Gatorade or something like that.”
As of February 10, a replacement has not been named.
Golden has been a proponent of the city dispatch center and had strong thoughts on the regionalization trend.
“Macedonia has a really good police department and they have a fantastic dispatch center,” Golden said.
Golden said he believes regionalization would be detrimental to police and services.
“It is not good for the city,” he said. “If they ever get a chance to vote on it, do not vote for regionalization of dispatch.”
And while Golden was a fan of his dispatchers, those whose voices are heard behind the microphone admired him.
“Chief Golden was a constant for the Macedonia Police Department,” according to Tracy A. Young, a dispatcher for the city. “His presence was never missed; from his ‘question of the day’, to him listening to family vacation plans, to walking you through difficult parts of our job.”
Nothing was off the table for discussion or conversation with Golden, Young added.
“If it was important to us then it was important to him,” she added. “Dispatch is a difficult job to learn and carry out. Chief Golden understood this in a way most do not.”
Golden always listened, asked how things were going or if we needed anything,” Young said.
“Chief Golden understood the value in keeping dispatch local and strived to keep that a reality for us,” she said.
And according to Young, Golden was more than just the department’s boss.
“It was an honor to work with Chief Golden who was not only our chief but a friend who cared deeply about his team. Thank you, Chief Golden, for your years of service and all you have done for Macedonia.”
The reality of retirement has not fully set in yet, Golden said and he has no immediate plans for another job.
“My idea is that retirement is retirement – not working,” Golden said.
However Golden did not completely rule out work in the future.
“I don’t necessarily have any plans to work, but let’s see what happens,” Golden said. “I don’t want to have to work. I might get bored down the road and say I just need to do something to get me out of the house.”
Golden does plan on spending time with his wife, Linda, their family, and his favorite fishing hole.
Sonja Becker, Golden’s administrative assistant for more than 22 years, had been helping Golden count the days to retirement, he said.
“Jon cared deeply for his work family and the decisions he made were for the betterment of the department,” Becker, who retired on January 31, said. “Now he can relax and spend time with his family doing all the things he loves.”
Golden said he wants to be remembered by the citizens, police, and officials for one thing – for always doing what was right.
“I did my best,” Golden said. “I did what was right – even when no one was looking.”
