COLUMBUS – There have been 11 U.S. presidents, a dozen chiefs of police and eight mayors of Columbus since Karl Barth joined the Columbus Division of Police.
Now, after 56 years, the city’s longest-serving officer is retiring.
The retirement ceremony for Lt. Barth is scheduled for Friday morning at the James G. Jackson Columbus Police Academy.
Barth joined the division on Sept. 25, 1961 mas a member of the 29th recruit class and began his career with the motorcycle unit.
In 1979, Barth took over the division’s Special Events Section and has been there for the past 38 years, helped to plan for some of the city’s biggest events over the years, including the annual Red, White & Boom fireworks show, the Columbus marathon, the Arnold sports festival and the Quarter Horse Congress.
He finally took his first sick day in 2015.
Barth’s father and brother also retired from the Division of Police.