Deputy Scott Mikolajczyk sat in his patrol vehicle Monday at the Latah County Courthouse and said what he says every day to the dispatcher when he is about to sign off from work: “Latah 325.”

Only this day was different. After 28 years with the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, this was Mikolajczyk’s final day in uniform.

As is tradition when a law enforcement officer retires, his coworkers went on the radio and thanked him for his service. His wife, Kim Mikolajczyk, was at his side.

Mikolajczyk stepped out of his car, wiped tears from his eyes and hugged Chief Deputy Tim Besst.

Mikolajczyk was Besst’s first field training officer when he joined the county 28 years ago, Besst told the Daily News.

Besst called Mikolajczyk a friend, a hard worker who got along with everyone and “a solid individual.”

Besst also called him one of the last “traditional” employees.

“That employee that will go forward and do whatever you ask of him,” Besst said. “Whether they like to do it or not, the job’s going to get done.”

Mikolajczyk said he loved being able to connect with people through his job.

“Helping people is the biggest thing,” he said. “A lot of guys will say, ‘I became a cop because I want to chase bad guys and blah, blah, blah.’ Well it’s not really just about that. It’s about helping people.”

He loves having conversations with the people he comes across on calls. In particular, Mikolajczyk said he has a soft spot for helping the elderly, and he enjoys listening to them tell stories about the old days.

“I’ve sat there and talked to people on a call for an hour,” he said.

The generally friendly nature of the people in Latah County is part of the reason why he has stayed and worked locally for so long.

“I’m driving down the highway and I’m just still amazed at how many people wave at you,” he said.

Law enforcement runs in his family. His father was a policeman in the Air Force and then later part of the police force in Mountain Home, Idaho.

Mikolajczyk went into the Marine Corps after high school and trained as a military police officer. After graduating from the University of Idaho, he was hired by the Moscow Police Department in 1989. He later joined the Latah County Sheriff’s Office in 1995.

The 63-year-old remembers when deputies used to wear Wranglers and had to handwrite their reports before computers became prevalent.

The technology-averse deputy jokingly called himself a “dinosaur.” His patrol car is the only one without a computer.

On Monday, an emotional Mikolajczyk expressed gratitude toward his coworkers, particularly Sheriff Richie Skiles, whom he praised for being an approachable leader.

Now, Scott Mikolajczyk is looking forward to trading his badge for a fishing pole and enjoying retirement at good fly-fishing spots like the St. Joe River.

“It’s been a good time,” he said. “I’m ready to go fish.”

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.