Longtime Highland police department member retiring after 25 years in law enforcement

Highland Police Sgt. Carl Schlarmann will retire from the police force Nov. 22 after 25 years as a law enforcement officer, and he has many insights and stories to share.

Carl was born as the only son of Bernard and Marie Schlarmann on Nov. 20, 1970, in Breese. He was the middle child with an older sister, Denise, and a younger sister, Karen. They grew up in Carlisle and spent much of their free time swimming. Early on, Carl was a golf enthusiast.

Carl said his parents engrained in him how to be a productive and professional man. His parents divorced and he when his mother remarried, Carl became the stepson of Anthony Kleber, who Carl readily acknowledged “helped co-parent Carl and his siblings.

“We often spent summers with our grandmother,” recalled Carl, “and would frequently visit our dad and cousins in Breese.”

He has fond memories of playing cards with his grandmother.

While a senior attending Carlyle High School, he met and interacted with two police officers through his school. Carl said they were friendly and personable and were actually responsible for having stimulated his interest in becoming a cop.

After graduation, Carl attended Kaskaskia College, taking courses in criminal justice. He later earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, graduating in 1992. In the autumn of 1992, Carl was among the first to officially open Big Muddy Correctional Center for the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Meeting his wife, early career

On Feb. 3 of that year and while attending a dance, Carl met the young lady who would become his wife, Juanita Kay.

“She was the prettiest girl in the room and just one week later, we went on our first date,” said Carl. “She was from a big family, very caring and always put family first. She was everything I ever wanted.”

In 1994, Carl transferred to Greenville Prison but soon realized he had his fill of the prison atmosphere and tested for the Highland Police Department. He was hired in July 1995 to serve under then-Highland Police Chief Bill Pierce.

Carl and Kay courted until 1996 and while on a vacation to Braunfels, Germany, Carl decided to propose to her in front of a wishing well. He got down on one knee and she thought he was teasing her and she told him “shut up and get up; what do you think you’re doing?”

It only took a moment for Kay to realize he was serious and upon seeing the engagement ring, burst into tears and responded “Yes!” They married Oct. 10, 1998, and honeymooned at Orlando’s Disney World.

Recalling stories from his career

Needless to say, after 25 years as an officer, Carl has had many experiences and situations, but is unable to detail all of them. However, some of his favorites include how he once fell asleep at the wheel of his squad car and side-swiped another vehicle. He said he spent the next few days using a compound name “Goof Off” to remove the scuff marks.

He also humorously recalls when fellow officer Ken McCoy inadvertently left his vehicle in drive while making a traffic stop in the parking lot of Tru Buyo Grocery.

Perhaps among his most memorable recollections occurred during a bad storm around midnight. There were massive power outages and sirens were wailing throughout the city. He was on Highland’s south side near a nursing home and a giant wave suddenly went over his squad car. After a bit of maneuvering, he got through the water, but his engine was damaged and he had to drive no more than 15 miles per hour in order to get back to HPD.

In reference to his opinion as to the main reasons for the increase in crime, Carl is very outspoken about the importance of family life, especially when raising children.

“Many families no longer gather at the dinner table as a family, or if they do, it is with distractions,” emphasized Carl. “Additionally, the prevalence of drugs and substance abuse causes family problems and property crimes runs the gamut of society.”

But of most importance on Carl’s list of causes of crime and dysfunctional families is the absence of “God in their lives. The lack of God and spirituality in a home creates children who don’t believe in God’s Word and what results are kids lacking a solid foundation who don’t believe in God’s ideals and not knowing the difference between right and wrong. Nor do they learn to respect their elders and the law.”

Family life, accomplishments

Kay and Carl first became parents to daughter Katelyn and later experienced the horrific heartbreak of losing their first son, Wil, who died at birth in 2002. Two years later, they welcomed twin boys, Gavin and Garrett, which Carl said kept he and his wife extremely busy for the first few years. Still hopeful of another girl, Lola, was born July 2007.

Carl’s greatest accomplishment was when the Officer of the Year Award was bestowed upon him in 1998, named for David McCain, an officer who died in the line of duty during a gun battle. In September 2009, he was selected to attend the Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy in Quantico, Virginia, from September-December. Carl applauds his wife for stepping up to the plate during his absence.

Since the Schlarmann household have been camping together for years, Carl intends to keep the practice going in retirement and spend as much time as possible with his family.

So how do those professionally connected to him feel about his retirement?

Highland police chief lauds Schlarmann

HPD Chief Chris Conrad said, “In municipal law enforcement the type of work we do tends to be more personal in nature and contact then say in a sheriff’s department or with the state police, so we tend to look for qualities that allow these officers to make those personal connections.

“Carl has epitomized what it is we look for in municipal officers. Like many of id, he has had tough personal experiences that made him more sympathetic and a better supervisor. I know personally I have benefited from his leadership and friendship.

“There have been several times in my career that I’ve been so focused on completing a task or trying to achieve a certain outcome that I lost sight of the fact that I was dealing with people. Carl has brought me back to that human aspect. This is a family accomplishment for the Schlarmanns and while I am so happy for Carl and his family on his retirement and what the next stage in life holds for them, I will miss his friendship and counsel in the department.”

Highland Mayor Joe Michaelis, under whom Carl served during the time Michaelis was police chief, extolled the service and competence of Carl by saying “much of Carl’s career, we worked together on the same shift. Carl was always a model police officer and served the community well. The city of Highland wishes he, his wife Kay, and their children the very best in the future.”

Carl gave accolades to Conrad and Michaelis for having been instrumental in helping him to learn how to relate to people. He also praised the residents of Highland for being “the best citizens and people anywhere for being supportive and promoting HPD.”

This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 11:00 AM.