Not every police chief can say he started out as a dog catcher, but that is how Steve Moore began his career in Hurst. Now, Moore is turning in his badge and retiring on Jan. 18.

Moore, 60, has been with the city for 40 years and said that it is now time to travel and spend time with his family.

“I don’t have another job lined up or anything like that,” said Moore.

City Manager Clay Caruthers has named Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp to replace Moore. However, the City Council will need to approve that replacement at the Jan. 23 meeting, said Kara McKinney, Hurst public information officer.

Moore said his interest in becoming a police officer began at age 15 after he joined the Boy Scouts’ Explorer program and got to spend time in the department and ride with patrol officers.

After graduating from L.D. Bell High School, Moore graduated magna cum laude from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls with a degree in law enforcement.

Moore joined the Hurst police department in 1977, and started out as an animal control officer.

“You had to be 21 to be a police officer, and when I was 20, there was an opening for an animal control officer,” Moore said. “A year later I took the test and became a police officer. Law enforcement gets in your blood.”

Moore quickly moved up through the ranks as a patrol officer, corporal, sergeant and lieutenant. In 2002, he was appointed as assistant police chief. He was promoted to the top job in 2008, when he replaced Tim Wallace, who retired.

One of his most important accomplishments as the police chief, Moore said, was working with Bedford and Euless to establish a mental health liaison. Officers from all three departments were trained to handle situations involving people who are mentally ill.

“When I first started out, we would encounter someone about once a month, and now it is a daily occurance,” he said.

Moore will stay on until the end of the month to help train his replacement.