If respect and admiration were money, Stanley McNatt would be a very wealthy man indeed.

The chief investigator for the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office will retire Friday after 38 years in law enforcement.

His friends, including fellow law enforcement officers and residents of Limestone County and the surrounding area are invited to his retirement luncheon at noon Friday at the Limestone County Event Center, 114 St. W. Pryor St., in Athens.

McNatt has been an investigator for the Sheriff’s Office since 1981 and chief investigator since 1999.

“I started my career as a jailer under Sheriff Buddy Evans,” he said. “Then, when Hollis Hogan went from jailer to deputy, I worked a couple of years as deputy.”

Today, McNatt supervises the department’s investigations division and serves as liaison to the district attorney’s office on all criminal investigations.

As training officer for both enforcement and corrections officers, he teaches techniques and fundamentals for case preparation.

As a deputy and investigator, McNatt has helped solve countless criminal cases ranging from murder to child sexual abuse to burglaries and drug crimes.

Changes

Over the years, McNatt has seen crime both change and stay the same.

“Even in the criminal aspect I would never have thought I would have to deal with identity and computer crimes and all of the scams we have to deal with,” he said. “Crimes like theft, burglary and forgery we have had and will always have.”

As Limestone County grew, so did the number of crimes.

“We have a lot larger population now but compared to surrounding counties we are very fortunate (to have lower crime) due to the people,” McNatt said. “I think Limestone County is fortunate to have citizens who still have respect for one another.”

That being said, Limestone still faces the same crimes as other counties and states.

“Anything that goes on anywhere else we’ve got here, though maybe not on such a large scale,” McNatt said.

In all, McNatt has seen more than three decades of crime, some of it monstrous. One can’t help but wonder how he remains so good-natured. He has said it is his faith in God that grounds him and renews his strength. His favorite Bible verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.

Rich in family, friends

It will be strange, at least at first, for McNatt to wake up and not have to head to the Sheriff’s Office each day. His absence will be equally odd for the investigators, deputies and dispatchers used to seeing him each day or used to hearing him on the radio, where he is known as L-3.

“I’m gonna miss it,” McNatt said. “I’ve got a lot of dear, dear close friends that I will truly miss but I look forward to the opportunity to spend more time with my family, visit the sick members of my congregation and do things to my house.”

He also plans to spend some time at the home where he was raised in the Hays Mill area doing some fencing and several other little projects, he said.