By the time Robert Selders, Jr., was 10 years old, he had made up his mind.

He wanted to be a police officer.

When he made the career decision, he and his family were living in North Royalton near Cleveland where he knew some police officers.

"I was impressed with them. I knew then that I wanted to be like them. I wanted to get out and serve the community and help everybody," said Mr. Selders, who retires Sept. 30 after decades of active duty as a patrolman, crime prevention officer, sergeant, detective, and, most recently, police chief in Waterville.

His career in Waterville has spanned 32 years, the last nine as chief. During his tenure, Waterville has transformed from a village to a city.

Mr. Selders said he would tell the new police chief that even though Waterville is now a city and its population is increasing, it's critical that the community keep its small-town atmosphere.

He said he would encourage the new chief to talk openly with residents, city officials, and his staff. "Be open and be honest," he said.

When Waterville residents fail to talk to one another, it puts the small-town atmosphere at risk, he said. Already he's noticed some changes as a result of people not talking to each other as they did "in the olden days," he said.

In the not-so-distant past, neighbors would talk to each other, such as when someone had a concern about neighborhood children cutting through a yard or some such situation. Rather than talking it over, the neighbors now immediately contact the police, an indicator of the "changing of the times," Chief Selders said.

A 1971 graduate of Anthony Wayne High School, the chief served with the Ohio National Guard 137th military police battalion from 1972 to 1978.

He was an auxiliary police officer in Whitehouse from 1976 to 1977. From 1977 to 1979, he was a part-time police officer with the Whitehouse department and served with the Medical College of Ohio campus police department. He joined the Waterville police force in 1979.

Other family members have served in law enforcement, including Mr. Selder's uncle who was an FBI agent. Also, Mr. Selder's brothers Matt and Mike were Providence Township patrolmen. And Mr. Selder's nephew is with the Ohio Highway Patrol.

"It's kind of a family thing," Mr. Selders said.

When he joined the Waterville police department, crime was more "localized" than it is today, he said. Now, there is an "outside" component with crimes often committed by people who live outside Waterville.

Domestic violence is one of the biggest issues handled by the Waterville police, he said, and while the numbers -- about two each month -- might not seem high compared to those of larger cities, there are more incidents involving couples quarreling, pushing, and shoving than there used to be. The downturn in the economy could be a factor, Chief Selders said.

Assaults have occurred in Waterville during his career, but there have been no murders or shootings, he said.

The police department once had 14 employees; now there are 11, including the chief.

Applicants for the chief's job are Waterville Police Officer Joe Valvano; Sergeant Lawrence Albright, and Officer Mike Shaneyfelt.

James Bagdonas, city administrator who will appoint the new chief, has formed a committee that will be involved in the hiring process. Committee members are Mr. Bagdonas, Mayor Derek Merrin, Chief Selders, and Councilmen Jeff Marty and Mike Metzger, who serve on council's public safety committee. Interviews will be held within the next few weeks, Mr. Bagdonas said. There is no deadline date to hire a new chief.

Pay range for the new chief is between $53,413 to $69,458. Chief Selders was at the top of the pay range, the administrator said.

If a new chief isn't hired by Sept. 30, an acting chief, likely Lieutenant Dave Morrison, would be named, he said.

Mr. Bagdonas said he has enjoyed working with Chief Selders, and said "I have nothing but praise for his work."

Chief Selders plans to build a garage, tackle a lengthy "honey do" list, and spend more time with his family, which includes eight children, when he retires. His wife, Evie, told him recently that it has been 12 years since they took a vacation. On Aug. 27, they celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary.

Mr. Selders, who turns 59 in December, said Waterville has been a good fit for him. "There is no place else I would rather have worked," he said.

But now it's time to leave the chief's job, he said. "It is time to move on, to give someone new a shot."

First Published September 7, 2011, 4:00 a.m.