Sworn in as a volunteer reserve officer following his retirement as police chief this past spring, Ken Rueben thought he might be needed at this year’s Philomath Frolic and Rodeo Grand Parade.
Rueben was indeed on hand for Saturday’s parade — but he wasn’t helping with traffic control. Instead, he was honored as the parade’s grand marshal.
“If I wasn’t doing this today, I’d be working,” Rueben said before climbing into a 1967 Camaro for a parade route that covered eight-tenths of a mile from the Philomath High parking lot to South 13th.
“They’ve agreed to give it to me after I’m done,” Rueben said, his sense of humor kicking in with a tall tale. “His daughter’s driving it and I go, ‘hey, you know, we need to talk your dad into selling that to me when we’re done — it’s gorgeous.”
There had been plans to include Percy, the police department’s comfort dog who retired with Rueben, in the parade but it was decided that might not be a good idea with the pristine condition of the vehicle’s interior.
Rueben said he was surprised to be named grand marshal.
“Obviously, they couldn’t find anybody better than me somewhere in Philomath,” Rueben said with a laugh. “No, but it’s great, I love this event.”
Rueben is no stranger to the event.
“I’ve been part of it for, I think, 11 years now but I’m on the other side of it,” Rueben said. “When (Frolic and Rodeo board member) Chris Workman called me, I was shocked. It felt good, it was a nice honor.”
Gallery: Philomath Frolic and Rodeo Grand Parade (July 13, 2024)
A collection of photos from the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo’s Grand Parade on Saturday, July 13.
Rueben’s career in law enforcement reached great heights from his early years with the Los Angeles Police Department to chief investigator with the Oregon Department of Justice. Over his final decade in the profession, he opted for small-town police work.
“It was such a blessing for me to be policing here,” Rueben said. “We compiled a great staff at the department but I met a lot of great people here and have a lot of friends, a lot of lifelong friends, here.”
Rueben’s reach into the community went beyond the police chief with his involvement in various organizations from the Philomath Youth Activities Club to serving for a stretch as the emcee for the Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce’s Samaritan Awards.
Rueben had direct involvement with the establishment of the Philomath Police Foundation and keeping alive the Public Safety Chili Cook-off.
“All of these people are really invested in the community,” Rueben said about those organizations. “That’s what I got out of it. It just became a home for me.”
Rueben retired as the police chief in April.
“I definitely miss the interaction with the day-to-day stuff,” Rueben said. “I don’t miss getting called in the middle of the night and I don’t miss on the weekends worrying about what I’m supposed to be doing on Monday. That’s the best part about being retired — not having to worry about that stuff 24/7 … I can actually get some sleep.”
Philomath hasn’t seen the last of Rueben. As mentioned, he was sworn in as a volunteer following his retirement and so he’ll help out when needed at certain events. Folks should definitely plan on seeing the old chief on Sept 8 at the chili cook-off.
Said Rueben, “We just purchased all the spices and everything last week and we’re getting ramped up to actually start cooking some chili.”