After 12,253 Days On The Job, Creve Coeur Police Captain Calls It A Career

Glenn Eidman recalled Thursday the time he went out on a ride along in August 1979 after having joined the department. His partner? George Hodak, who had been on the force in Creve Coeur since the previous December.

The pair teamed up again later in the department's detective division. They shared center stage a final time in uniform Thursday when Eidman, now Police Chief, was giving a sendoff to Hodak, as the Captain retired after 33.5 years serving the city, the last 25 without taking a sick day.

For photos from the event, check out our album on Facebook.

Members of the department gathered in City Council chambers as Hodak was presented with a proclamation from Mayor Barry Glantz, a piece of yard art designed by Traffic Safety Officer Charles Parker which bore a stunning resemblance to Hodak, and the customary service weapon and retirement badge among other tokens.

City Administrator Mark Perkins recalled how he first observed Captain Hodak's love of baseball, seeing a picture of the now infamous play at first base in Game 6 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals, sitting in his office.

Hodak's focus on training and investigations were spotlighted in the afternoon ceremony, chalked up to his having completed the FBI Academy and living by the belief, "better to be lucky than good," Chief Eidman said.

Patch was there as Captain Hodak took stock of world events with a sense of humor...