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"This is probably the safest place in town right now," said Chad Cantrell, a retired Sanders County detective and one of an estimated 60 guests at the retirement gathering for Chief of Police Shawn Emmett at the Plains-Paradise Senior Citizens Center in Plains Thursday evening.

Emmett retired after serving the town for 20 years, including two years as an officer before becoming chief.  He said he was surprised that his former police chief, James Marble, traveled from Missoula to attend the ceremony. Frank Ceely, a former Plains officer, and former chief of police for Hot Springs, also attended, along with Brian Josephson, who was selected by Mayor Dan Rowan and the town council to replace Emmett. The party was also attended by Plains officers Chris Reyna and Jared Hutchings and Sanders County Deputy Ethan Harvey.

Emmett said he felt it was time for him to move on. "It's time for someone else to see what they can do. Change isn't necessarily a bad thing," said the 53-yer-old Emmett. He said leaving the force is bittersweet and he will miss the people he worked with. He said he'll also miss being responsible for the safety of the town residents.

"We wish to express our appreciation to Shawn for his 20 years of service for the Town of Plains and wish him all the best in whatever endeavors he undertakes during his retirement," said Rowan. "It's going to take some time to get used to Shawn not being there," he said.

Emmett was presented with a customized wooden plaque of Montana and a plaque that read "For 20 Years You Have Served the PPD and the Town of Plains with Honor, Dedication and Selflessness." He was also presented his 45-caliber service gun, which he had carried during his career, a tradition that the sheriff's office practices, said Emmett, who might be the first Plains chief to put in 20 years and retire. Marble went to Stevensville after five years and now works for the state Justice Department in Missoula, and his predecessor, Joe Eisenbrandt, served only a short time as chief.  

Emmett worked until  4 p.m. on Thursday, his last day, but wrote no tickets. He plans to continue volunteering at the Plains Cemetery to help John Dossett, the cemetery sexton. His wife, Cathy, said she has a list of projects for him. He also plans to work on a 1929 Ford Model A vehicle, which had been owned by Cathy's father, the late Wes Ekstrom. "It's in pieces all over my garage; now I have time to work on it," said Emmett, who added that he had a great career for the most part.