TCSO Captain John Barker Retiring After Nearly Three Decades

Tuscaloosa AL

27 April, 2021

1:26 PM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Captain John Barker sat at his desk Tuesday holding a framed picture from the day he graduated the police academy and started at the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Save for some gray hair, the commander of the county's patrol division doesn't appear to have aged all that much since his first day behind the badge. After 28 years, though, the longtime public servant is looking forward to the next chapter with his retirement from law enforcement. His last day on the job is set for Friday. Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts. "I started young, so I'm able to get out young and try something different," Barker told Patch. "I'm at a point in my career where I've accomplished everything I wanted to, plus what I set out for, and had an opportunity come along, so I'm ready to try another venture." Barker, 48, will be trading crime scenes for job sites as he will help manage a construction business. "There's a gentleman who owns a business and wants to retire and hopefully he can train an old dog new tricks," he said with a laugh. Born in Oklahoma, Barker and his family moved to Tuscaloosa in 1986 when his Dad was transferred to BFGoodrich. After graduating from Hillcrest High School and working various jobs, he said he was asked by Lt. Wayne Murphy if he wanted a job at the sheriff's office. Barker began his law enforcement career for a couple of years in the Tuscaloosa County Jail before receiving his badge and starting out on midnight shift. Following two more years of cutting his teeth on patrol, Barker received his most memorable assignment as an investigator with the metro gang unit in the fast-paced days of the 1990s. "It intrigued me and seemed high-speed," he said. "In the mid-90s, gangs were very prominent, so I got into that and I always tell everybody that's the best job I ever had. I got off work at 11 on a Friday and couldn't wait to be back and that was where I got settled into law enforcement." While he would credit other stints working in criminal and juvenile investigations, along with narcotics, it was his first day on the job as a gang investigator that left an indelible impact on the young deputy. Barker recalled he would have been around 23 or 24 years old when he walked into the office on day one, only to leave out to apprehend a gang member involved in a drive-by shooting the night before. "We pull up to this particular house and there's 8 to 10 people, all of them are dressed alike, and one of them walks around to the rear of the house," Barker said. "Long story short, he had just dropped the gun over the fence that had been used in the drive-by shooting and I realized we do actually have gangs and guys that will kill you for their colors." Fast-forward to the present and his last week on the job, as Barker will retire a captain and commander of the patrol division, which oversees uniformed services, dispatchers, courthouse security and more. The pace and excitement of the job will be missed, he said, but then said he looks forward to not being in harm's way every time he puts on a uniform. "My fiancé is always concerned for my well-being and my mother is the same way still," Barker said. "So yeah, there will be huge peace of mind there. But it's an awesome job, with so many great memories." As his law enforcement career comes to a close just short of three decades, Patch asked Barker what makes a good police officer. His response? Compassion. "We do the job to help people and as long as you keep that compassion and perspective then you're open to how to help people," Barker said. "Sheriff [Ron] Abernathy would tell the story and tell all the dispatchers and it's true for all cops, all people serving the public, when you answer that phone, the person on the other line telling you about that burglary, it may be the tenth burglary you've taken today, but it's their first." Looking around at the current social climate as he makes his exit into the private sector, the longtime public servant expressed optimism for a new age of community policing capable of tearing down barriers straining relationships at the local level. "I'm a huge advocate for community policing, so you see my face every day. You know my name, I know your children. So I do have hope," he said. "For the next generation coming in, never stop learning, study it up, take something from everyone you encounter. You can't think or act like you know everything in this line of work. For the next person who has my job, I will quote one of our old lieutenants ... I hope you've got your roller skates on." Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at [email protected].