WHITEHALL — Dozens of well-wishers came together Friday to celebrate Whitehall Police Officer Derek Sova on his retirement after 30 years of service to the city. The crowd of law-enforcement officers, friends and family, and community members who’ve been positively impacted by Sova during his tenure found him with little surprise - “You gain a lot of connections with 30 years of service," he said.
The retirement open house was held at Whitehall City Hall and Police Department, providing attendees with refreshments, desserts, and a peek at memorabilia recalling Sova’s three decades on the force.
A dispatch message - also shared on Facebook - announced that Sova signed-off for the last time and thanked him for his service, describing Sova as “reliable, steady, and ready, no matter the call… Officer Sova has exemplified what it means to serve.”
While looking forward to the end of his time on the force, Sova admitted “the hardest part was my last on-call,” and the bittersweet finality that came with it. As for his plans in retirement, Sova shared he will spend the next several months “taking it easy” before planning his next steps, possibly finding a part-time job to keep him occupied.
