Dicus to retire from DPS

Sikeston Department of Public Safety Capt. Ken Dicus, Fire Division commander, looks to see if a fire report is ready for Kerry Gilmore to release for insurance requests Tuesday at DPS Headquarters. Dicus will soon retire from DPS to lead the South Scott County Ambulance District as director. (Photo by Photo by Scott Welton, Staff)

Captain will leave to become the South Scott County Ambulance District's next director

scottw@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety will lose one of its leaders soon but he isn't going far.

DPS Capt. Ken Dicus confirmed Tuesday he will retire from DPS in the near future to become the South Scott County Ambulance District's next director.

"The ambulance district board has already offered me the job and I've accepted it," Dicus said.

Dicus said he is coordinating with the district's current director, Chief Brad Golden, to come up with date that works well for both agencies.

"We are still working on that," Dicus said. "It will be some time in the early summer, probably. We have been talking about May 1."

While he is only 57, Dicus has enough time on the job to qualify for retirement benefits but said he wouldn't have left DPS yet if such an excellent career opportunity hadn't come up.

"I've enjoyed this department, working for the city -- working for the Chief (Drew Juden), especially: he's good to work for. He expects a lot of you but that goes along with the job. I enjoy coming to work." Dicus said.

"Kenny has been an outstanding employee and friend. The citizens of Sikeston have no idea how many lives he is responsible for saving and touching," Juden said.

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