'I got hooked from the start'

After 47 years in law enforcement, Guernsey County Auxiliary officer Robert "Fuzzy" Mizer officially called it a career on Aug. 22, his final day in uniform serving the people of Guernsey County.

And that's what Mizer expressed he would miss the most - the people.

"I just enjoy people, guess I'm sort of a people guy," Mizer said. "Don't they call that a social butterfly maybe. I just enjoy getting to know people and being able to help them in tough situations. Really a satisfying part of doing the job. Making a difference in people's lives.

"This job was one of my true loves," Mizer offered. "I'm 69 years old and I can still jump a 4-foot fence in my mind. But I usually try to look for a gate. I've always loved the job, you need to have a pride in your work. And I can honestly say I was proud to put on my uniform each and every day and will miss doing that."

What he won't miss is putting on 30 pounds of equipment every day. "With the bulletproof vest, gun belt and ammunition belt. That was not fun to lug around with you."

Mizer was working at the Cambridge IGA when his brother-in-law John Davis, who was a detective with the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office, encouraged him to join law enforcement. He was 22 when joined the Cambridge Police Auxiliary in 1975.

"He told me you will love it," Mizer recalled of his start in law enforcement. "And he was right, I got hooked from the start I would say."

It was during this time with the Cambridge auxiliary unit that Mizer would become known as Fuzzy.

"I had the 1980s perm going on with a mustache and when it grew out it got fuzzy. Back then everybody had nicknames, Brian Neff was the Weasel and we had Eugene Woody who was just Woody.

"If you asked for Bob Mizer, people would go who?" Mizer recalled. "You asked for Fuzzy and everybody knew who you wanted. And it stayed that way up to today. Might not look like it now, but I'm still just Fuzzy."

Mizer continued with the auxiliary until 1986 when the IGA closed, forcing him to find another line of work.

"When they closed down the store I had to find something to feed my family," Mizer explained. "So I applied at different locations trying to get into law enforcement and the Byesville Police picked me up."

Mizer would stay with the Byesville force until March 4, 2010. Then he moved to the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office where he stayed until retiring from full time active duty in 2011. Mizer then joined the auxiliary division.

"I think working with the kids was my favorite job during my career. I was a school resource officer and I just enjoyed being around the kids," said Mizer, who is a father of five. "Passing out our little fake badges we had for them, and just being around interacting with them.

"Letting them know they could always come to an officer," Mizer continued, "I used to carry bags of candy with me in the cruiser, and I'd see a group of kids, I would stop and talk with them and pass out some candy."

The biggest changed in police work during his career is the rampant drug problem in every community across the country, he said.

"I think the justice system has failed a little bit. I think they ought to be tougher on the criminal. Used to be we would answer 10 fight calls a night - mostly drunks just fist fighting or wrestling around," Mizer explained. "Now they are all hopped up on drugs, and nobody want to fist fight, they want to stab you or shoot you. But the drugs is the biggest issue that is out of control, and they need to get tougher with that. And its simply everywhere, which is scary."

As for his retirement plans, Mizer said they are still in the works but he plans to keep busy.

"I like to golf but I'm still figuring it out," Mizer stated. "I did join the fire department as a volunteer, I will sell tickets at bingo, that sort of stuff. Anything they need me to help out with. I'm going to find things to keep me busy. Because if you sit around, you die."

KSutton1@gannett.com; @KevinDJsports