Bruemmer retires from dream job at Patrol

Carla Bruemmer poses at her new part-time, post-retirement job working for the Missouri Peace Officers Association.
Carla Bruemmer poses at her new part-time, post-retirement job working for the Missouri Peace Officers Association.

Almost 38 years ago, Carla Bruemmer set her sights on becoming the secretary to the superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. By the time she ended her career, she had achieved her goal.

Bruemmer retired March 1 as the designated principal assistant for the superintendent. Her journey with the Highway Patrol began in the training academy.

"My motto has always been that I'm going to show you that you've made the right choice for filling this position, and that's what I've tried to do throughout my entire career," Bruemmer said.

After working in training academy, Bruemmer advanced through several departments including the criminal records department, the Division of Drug and Crime Patrol and the Budget and Procurement Division, and served on staff as the secretary for majors until she arrived at her dream role.

Like most agencies, Bruemmer said, one of the biggest changes she saw over the years was the advancement of technology. When she started working with the Patrol, the office worked with electric typewriters.

"There was no memory, no auto-correction tape, and we had onion skin paper," Bruemmer laughed.

If you needed copies, she explained, you had the original letterhead with four or five pages of carbon paper in between the number of copies you needed, which required attentiveness and perfection from the beginning.

In the clerical field, employees had to pass tests demonstrating their skill level in shorthand to be promoted to conduct certain tasks. She said it wasn't until 1984 the office started using computers.

Bruemmer also remembers when manual files became automated for programs.

By her five- and 10-year anniversaries with the Patrol, Bruemmer knew it was where she wanted to be.

"There were opportunities that were coming to me where I could see advancement for me," Bruemmer said. "It wasn't just a job, it was my career."

Bruemmer described her team at the Patrol like her extended family.

"I truly enjoyed my job," Bruemmer said. "Up until the day of my retirement, I learned something every day."

She added retiring was a tough decision, but since, she has transitioned into a position at the Missouri Peace Officers Association.

Bruemmer received a call from the association a few days before her official retirement and accepted a role as the assistant to retired Maj. Dale Schmidt, the Missouri Peace Officers Association executive director.