VIDALIA &8212; Ralph Hill wants the people of Concordia Parish to remember him as a deputy with compassion.

&8220;The day I put this badge on I knew what I was going to do,&8221; Hill said. &8220;I was going to treat people the way I wanted to be treated.&8221;

After 32 years of working with the Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s Office, Hill retired from his position of civil deputy for the parish.

Hill, 74, officially retired Nov. 30.

He holds the record of being the longest-serving deputy in Concordia Parish and serving under more administrations than any other deputy in the CPSO.

Hill has served under sheriffs Fred Schiele, Johnny Patrick, Hubert Lee McGlothin and the current sheriff, Randy Maxwell.

Before working for CPSO, Hill ran Ferriday Gin Company for 14 years for Schiele.

In 1974, Shiele was appointed sheriff and deputized Hill.

Hill said he was appointed part-time because the sheriff&8217;s office was not making enough money to support him full-time, so he would continue to work and be paid by the gin.

Schiele appointed Hill deputy so he could run errands for CPSO like transport prisoners to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Hill said.

In 1975, Hill stopped working for Ferriday Gin Company and worked full-time as a deputy for CPSO.

Under the first three administrations, Hill worked as a line deputy (peace officer), a bailiff, a radio dispatcher and jailer.

In August 1990, when Maxwell was appointed sheriff, Hill stayed on the force to act as civil deputy.

Hill&8217;s job requires him to serve civil papers, such as divorce papers, or seize property from those who can&8217;t pay off loans or mortgages.

&8220;His job is a sensitive job, serving papers,&8221; Maxwell said. &8220;Everybody knows him, everybody loves him.&8221;

Hill, a Monterey resident, said he would often pick up tax checks from fellow residents who couldn&8217;t make it into town and pay them.

&8220;One of my happiest feelings I&8217;ve had as a civil officer is when I go by to seize (someone&8217;s) property and I&8217;ve given them a few days to get their money together so when I go back I don&8217;t have to seize it,&8221; Hill said.

One of his favorite stories to tell is when he served as bailiff in a big case. Hill was responsible for staying with juries to keep them from talking about the case.

Hill said he and the jury stayed at the old Ramada Inn hotel in Natchez.

&8220;(Someone) was making a movie in August one year and I was escorting the jury somewhere to get something to eat,&8221; Hill said.

Hill said he led the jury down to the dining area of the Ramada.

&8220;I looked back and I noticed the jury wasn&8217;t there. They were with the movie stars getting autographs,&8221; Hill said. &8220;I always laugh because there wasn&8217;t anything wrong with it, but a good lawyer could have gotten a mistrial.&8221;

Although he is officially retired, Hill said he still plans to work part-time for CPSO escorting funerals and serving civil papers, only in Monterey.

Hill also plans to spend more time with his grandchildren Steed, 17, Jay Cee, 12, and Gus, 10.