Walter Landrum Sr.

Walter Landrum Sr. has retired from Bainbridge Public Safety, city officials announced Thursday.

Landrum was the patrol commander at Public Safety and held the rank of major. In 1972, he joined what was then the Bainbridge Police Department and had worked there for the past 39-and-a-half years.

Reached Friday by telephone, Landrum politely declined to comment on his retirement, saying he planned to say more after the Bainbridge City Council considered the details of his retirement. Along with a statement regarding Landrum’s service, City Manager Chris Hobby said “some details” of Landrum’s retirement compensation were still being worked out and may not require formal action by the City Council.

Landrum is just 58 years old and would have met the requirements of an early retirement deal the city offered to receive the same benefits as an older retiree without taking his age into account.

The deal, which expired on July 8, was offered only to city employees that met the so-called Rule 90; that is, their age plus total years of service with the city equaled 90 or more.

This past summer, six long-time city employees—including former Fire Chief Dennis Mock and former Assistant Fire Chief James Brock—took advantage of the early retirement deal. Current Public Safety Director Larry Funderburke is set to retire later this month; he will be succeeded by Eric Miller, the former public safety director in Albion, Mich., whose hiring was announced in September.

Landrum’s son, Walt, is a state trooper with the Georgia State Patrol’s Colquitt, Ga., post.

Hobby’s full statement

Bainbridge City Manager Hobby sent the following statement on Landrum’s retirement via e-mail:

“After nearly four decades of service to the citizens of Bainbridge; Major Walter Landrum has elected to take early retirement. Walter has given the majority of his life to police work and to this city so we are saddened that this decision is now what is in his best interest but we are also happy that this option is available to him. Walter has been devoted to what is best for the City of Bainbridge and specifically of the Public Safety Department. As he now hangs up his badge and uniform; he leaves behind a legacy of service that extends beyond just this city. He has instilled a commitment to service not just in the young officers he has supervised and mentored but also in his sons who have carried out their father’s legacy with honor and commitment to service above self. This city and its citizens should be forever grateful for men and women such as Walter Landrum who have chosen a career in service to their fellow man. We of course wish Walter continued happiness and success as he embarks upon this next phase of his life’s journey.”