BELFAST – Retiring Sgt. Rosario Michaud spent a quarter-century taking care of business on the streets of Belfast and meaning business when he had to.

It was on Dec. 20, 1979, that Michaud first donned the blue uniform that he wore with pride and conviction for the next 25 years. Now 62, his retirement is official on Wednesday.

During his quarter-century patrolling the city, Michaud gained the reputation as a fair but no-nonsense officer who could be counted on to stand firm whenever the situation called for it.

That he earned the respect of his fellow officers in the department, and of the many county and state law enforcers he encountered over the years, was in evidence Saturday night when more than 100 of his friends gathered at Jed’s Restaurant to salute “Mish” for his devotion to public service and poke fun at his predilection for pontificating.

“My career is at end, and I can’t think of a better way to conclude my career in law enforcement than to be surrounded by friends, fellow police officers and associates,” said a smiling Michaud after receiving a good-natured raking over the coals by his buddies.

One after another of those fellow officers made sure to note that whenever a subject was raised around Michaud, he was more than likely to have something to say about it. An exhaustively detailed explanation at that.

“He was always full of advice,” recalled former patrolman Bill Francis. “It was always good to get Mish arguing about something and then walk out of the room.”

Michaud also had his light side. Eric Harvey, another former officer, recalled that one night a few weeks after he joined the department, he and Sgt. Michaud were dispatched to a downtown apartment where an argument was in progress.

“A woman ran out of the building topless shouting ‘Look what they’ve done to me,'” recalled Harvey. “Mish saw the look on my face and said, ‘Don’t worry about it, this happens every day.'”

City Manager Terry St. Peter pointed out that Michaud had the great good fortune to have been born in Aroostook County and raised in Belfast.

After graduation from Crosby High School, Michaud served with the Army in Vietnam, where he received six citations for valor under combat, including the Silver Star.

He joined the Police Department at a time when Belfast was a rougher town, a natural fit for the rugged, battle-tested cop.

“Back in the days when the bars were more unruly, I’m told that Mish could straighten out an unruly bar by just walking in the door,” said St. Peter.

An avowed bachelor, Michaud was never at a loss for words when it came to dispensing advice about child rearing, dating and the secrets to domestic bliss, a married-with-children Sgt. John Gibbs recounted.

“He possesses a great many talents,” quipped Gibbs. “Many of which he recognizes. He is more than willing to give you advice, whether you want to hear it or not.”

Michaud also had a parsimonious streak, Gibbs said. Michaud was known to flash a cache of coins after a day walking the beat, and Gibbs predicted that “the chances of finding change” while walking downtown “will increase” once Michaud hangs up his badge.

Former Police Chief Bob Keating recalled that when he hired Michaud 25 years ago, the rookie cop told him, “I will do my job to the best of my ability and will never do anything to embarrass the Belfast Police Department.”

Keating said Michaud lived up to that promise and described his friend as “a man of honesty and integrity who has served the people of Belfast well.”

Along with thanking Keating and his fellow officers, an emotional Michaud singled out his first partner, Ken Fitzjurls, and his last partner, Jack Vose, for special praise.

Of Fitzjurls he said, “I never told him he was a success at teaching me the ropes and how to go about it. I’m thanking him now.”

As for his close friend and golfing partner Vose, Michaud joked, “He tried to teach me all the things I didn’t need to know. Like where to get free coffee, free cookies and where to go when your eyes got tired.”

Turning serious, Michaud said he was convinced that the “time had come” to retire. He said when he began with the department his hair was brown, his eyes were sharp, he was 50 pounds heavier and enjoyed golfing, weightlifting and skydiving. Today, his hair is white, he wears bifocals, and his pursuits are golf and jogging.

“To stay any longer would serve no useful purpose, either for me or the department,” Michaud said in a voice thick with emotion. “In three days I will have to turn in my badge and my uniform and I will become a private citizen again. I will never forget this evening – I can’t. This is probably the most wonderful thing that’s happened to me in my entire life. For giving me these memories, I want to thank each and every one of you from the deepest recesses of my soul.”