COEUR d'ALENE - Coeur d'Alene Police Capt. Ron Clark will retire in January, ending a 30-year career of service with the department.

In 2003, Clark was promoted to captain - the second-highest rank in the department - by former Chief Tom Cronin. He also served as interim chief of police for a year, following the retirement of Chief Wayne Longo.

"Ron has been an extremely valuable member of the department and will be sincerely missed by the men and women who have worked with him," Chief Lee White said. "Although I have only known him for a short time, he has proven to be a dedicated public servant."

Clark told The Press that his retirement plans include spending time with his family and traveling. He added that his career in Coeur d'Alene has been a rewarding experience.

"I will miss the daily interaction with the great employees at the police department, and I wish them all to stay safe and enjoy their careers as I have mine," Clark said.

However, Clark will still be interacting with the department as a consultant. Coeur d'Alene City Council members unanimously approved a contract with Clark for his continued service.

According to the contract, Clark will have $24,000 placed into a health care account in exchange for a minimum of 240 hours of consultation with the department.

"I have gained a lot of valuable experience over the years," Clark said. "I am glad to still be contributing in a positive way to the Coeur d'Alene Police Department."

White added that he appreciates the opportunity to use Clark as a consultant.

"The Coeur d'Alene Police Department regularly updates our department policies to be consistent with the best practices in law enforcement," White said. "We plan to use Ron's expertise to assist us in that endeavor."