Stolt retires after 30 years at NUPD

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- About 22 years ago, Jerry Losinski reported to the old police station at New Ulm City Hall for his first day of work as a police officer.

He was surprised to hear music coming from one of the rooms.

But sure enough, among the musicians in police uniforms were Bert Schapekahm blowing harmonica and Gene Stolt singing.

Those and other anecdotes were shared by Losinski and a few other cops at Stolt's retirement party at Turner Hall Saturday afternoon. Stolt retired after 30 years with the New Ulm Police Department. His official last day was March 31.

He first started working on March 21, 1971, after several years in the Army and a job as a Coca-Cola delivery man. He was promoted twice -- once to corporal and then to sergeant -- a rank he kept until one week ago.

For Stolt, it was a 30-year tenure that brought joy with heartache.

"Sometimes people say to me 'Why be a cop?' and 'You couldn't pay me enough to do your job'," Stolt said. "Well, there are times where it can't pay enough."

He remembered a call he received one night from a baby sitter who told the dispatcher she was having trouble with the baby. Stolt said he arrived in less than a minute. He gave the infant mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR until an ambulance arrived to take it to the hospital, but the baby didn't make it.

"There's no way to express the helplessness you feel in a situation like that," he remembered.

There was another call Stolt remembered that he took on his wedding anniversary. It was the second shift and he was helping train in a rookie cop. He saw something that night he never saw before or since -- an entire room covered in blood and a woman with her head cracked open, who he was also unable to do anything for. Stolt said he woke up with nightmares for weeks afterwards.

He also recalled the time when a call came in about an elderly woman who hadn't been seen in days. He went to her house and found the door locked. When he got inside, he found her at the bottom of a stairwell with a broken hip. He took her hand to help her up; she forced a smile and squeezed it. Stolt said the satisfaction he got from the woman's smile made the job worthwhile.

The last anecdote Stolt shared was one that happened on a Sunday afternoon not too long ago. He was on patrol when the dispatcher alerted him to a woman in labor.

"You think 'Stay calm. The ambulance is on the way'," Stolt told onlookers. "But then the dispatcher came back and said the lady was on the phone. The head was starting to come out."

The woman's husband and son had gone to get a pizza at the time Stolt arrived at the house. He had no time for an introduction as the baby boy was born within seconds. State Trooper Jerry Braam wrote a letter to the New Ulm Police Department in January of 1995 commending Stolt for his actions that day.

Stolt ended his remarks by thanking his family, friends and fellow police officers for the support they gave over the last 30 years.

"New Ulm's been good to me," he said. "It's a great place to raise a family."

Earlier that day, some of those people took turns at the podium sharing stories about Stolt and giving him accolades for his years of service.

Losinski also remembered the time when he and Stolt went to a party together. Both of them were in uniform and "there were kids all over the place," Losinski said. "We were just standing there in the middle of the party until (Stolt) said 'Hi'. They cleared the place in about two minutes."

Corporal Rich Hoffman remembered the days when he actually used to avoid Stolt as a teenager. But once he joined NUPD, Hoffman said Stolt helped him out and was always fair.

Stolt's son Doug said his father is "one of the best people walking the face of the Earth." Doug remembered when he and his father rode in squad cars together and when his dad would drive by to check on him during the 4 a.m. shift at McDonald's.

NUPD Commander Erv Weinkauf said he worked with Stolt most of his career. Weinkauf also remembered training sessions at the Orchid Inn and rumbles at the Brown County Fairgrounds. Weinkauf described Stolt as "a person dedicated to the job and wouldn't complain no matter what assignment you put him on."

"Your leadership will be deeply missed," Weinkauf told Stolt. "You've earned the distinction to be called retired."

New Ulm Mayor Arnold Koelpin read a proclamation, officially making Saturday Sergeant Stolt Day.

Stolt also received a plaque from the Chief Howard Zins with the NUPD shoulder patch, a set of sergeant's stripes and his badge attached to it. Weinkauf also presented Stolt with a black armband that had the NUPD patch and "RETIRED" on it.