Gainesville officers retiring after 20 years can keep their weapons
By Nick Watson
April 10, 2016 2:00 a.m.
After thousands of high-risk search warrants and 21 years of service, the Glock .40 at Joe Amerling’s side will soon come home for the last time.
“We are in a profession that you kissed your loved ones today and say ‘I’ll see you tonight,’” Amerling said, who will soon retire from the Gainesville Police Department.
“And you might not make it,” Chief Carol Martin interjected.
Following a recent Gainesville City Council resolution, officers with at least 20 years of honorable service will be presented with their service weapon upon retirement. Before the March 15 vote by the council, the minimum was 25 years.
“Our officers are out there protecting us and putting their lives on the line each and every day, and I think it’s well deserved,” Mayor Danny Dunagan said, adding that each replacement weapon costs roughly $400.
Martin said the item has been on her list for some time, but other issues took priority in her first year. The chief was glad to see the council approve the measure as a “good incentive and reward” for service to the department.
“When I got hired in ’95, y’all told me one of the perks was if I stayed here 20 years I’d get my gun. ... It’s just a traditional type thing that’s recognized throughout the world,” Amerling said.
Staring down at the dates and names etched on the slide of his Glock, retired Capt. Chad White said the memento means a great deal to him as a testament of his service.
White retired in 2014 following 25 years of service with the department. For the retired captain, the weapon is a family keepsake to pass down and will “never be fired again.”
“In 25 years, I saw over 300 people come and go,” White said. “And for me personally being able to work that long at the police department, that was rewarding to me.”
White and Amerling join another 50 or so living retirees of the Gainesville Police Department, a line of work that White feels is in its toughest time.
“Law enforcement today, I believe, is the hardest, the toughest ... it has ever been in the history of our profession, because they are constantly being watched, critiqued and criticized about everything they say and do,” White said.
This retirement will be the second 20-year career ending for Amerling; he earlier served 20 years active duty military until 1995. Because the age cutoff for law enforcement was 21 in New York, Amerling decided to enlist.
Joining months after his retirement, Amerling worked in community police before moving over to a gang unit in a time with “drive-by shootings every week.”
“I had met a lot of young Hispanic kids that I played ball with and established a relationship,” Amerling said. “Then unfortunately, as the gangs evolved, those kids evolved into some of the gangs that were here locally, but I still had a rapport with them.”
Amerling works with the Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, a combination of Gainesville officers and members of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
“Being a drug unit, every search warrant we go into our weapon is drawn,” he said.
Other than the ability to verbally de-escalate a situation, the sidearm can be a lifesaver, Amerling said.
“That gun is ultimately your lifeline. It’s one of those where we talk about the sentimental value that Joe has been responsible for that gun for 20 years, and when it goes home he’s responsible for it,” Sgt. Kevin Holbrook said.
Amerling, who is married to veterinarian Dr. Jane White, said he has looked into becoming a private investigator and plans to continue his deep involvement in the community.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had more than 10 days off in 21 years,” he said.
Former gang members Holbrook recalls chasing as a rookie officer now come around as family men asking for Amerling by first name.
“They’ve obviously turned their lives around, and Joe has been a great asset to not only our agency but many agencies across the state,” Holbrook said.
