Sarge, Lieutenant and most often Roscoe, Russell Johnson has been known by a lot of names during his law enforcement career.
That career started in 1982 with the McCaysville Police Department, then took him to the Copperhill Police Department, and to both the Polk County and Fannin County sheriff’s offices before bringing him back to McCaysville. He also served several years as an assistant magistrate judge in Fannin County.
But it was from McCaysville that he officially retired, an event celebrated Sunday evening at Ron Henry Horseshoe Bend Park.
Russell and I go way back. We rode a school bus together bound for Ducktown Elementary School a very long time ago.
Russell jogged my memory of those days several months back when we sat down at the McCaysville Police Station. The next thing I knew we were reliving memories of a different time in this part of the country.
So, when I was honored with an invitation to his retirement party, I wasn’t about to miss it.
I really didn’t know what to expect, but I should have known the send off for Roscoe – I never got used to calling him that. Names learned on school buses don’t change – would not be a tearful event.
It was one filled with laughs and stories, some told in parts, some told without names and some told only by grins following a few clues.
Russell, you see, has quite a sense of humor and is a natural for pulling practical jokes. But it’s best the stories of those exploits are left to those who were there to enjoy them.
When the laughs died down, there was another quality that surfaced. That was respect.
Countless individuals spoke of his abilities and knowledge as a lawman.
One visitor had brought a message from someone who had often found himself on the other side of the law, but has straightened up now. That message was “Roscoe always treated me right.”
There was one other word echoed to describe Russell, and that was friend. And that’s how I’ve always known him and will always consider him.
I told several people Sunday how much I hated to see him retire. He’s one of the last of us “old timers” that still remember the old stories, the old days.
I’m going to miss my visits sharing these because, like all folks who retire, he will be much harder to find. Especially now that he won’t be holding down the fort in McCaysville.
But I wish Russell the best. He’s earned it. I’ll see ya around, my friend. The door is always open.
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Glenn Harbison is publisher/editor of The News Observer. He can be reached at 706-632-2019 or by email at glenn@thenewsobserver.com.