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Joe Gallenstein joined the Largo Police Department in 1963, when the city was a much slower, much smaller, more rural place.
The department had nine members.
During his rise to chief of the department in 1985, Gallenstein chased wild turkey, feral hogs and an ornery steer, as well as criminals.
When he resigned in 1992, the year before he was to retire, the department had a staff of about 200.
After leaving the department, Gallenstein moved to Dunnellon. He died at his home there on Sept. 18. He was 68.
His wife, Jane Gallenstein, said a cause of death has yet to be determined. She speculated that a heart attack or complications from a recent hernia operation felled her husband.
"He always called me mom, and he said 'Mom, help me,' then he was on the floor," said Jane Gallenstein, 68.
A native of Ashland, Ky., Gallenstein graduated from Largo High School in 1959 and did a four-year stint in the Navy before joining the force.
Sgt. Mike Short joined the department in 1983, when Gallenstein was a captain. Short said Gallenstein was a role model to young cops and provided a link to the history of the department and the city.
"I looked up to him because of who he was," Short said, "but also because he was the small town, homegrown police chief."
Gallenstein resigned following a scandal involving the department's Special Investigations Unit, which was disbanded. It was found the unit had failed to track spending on undercover drug purchases, expenses and payoffs to confidential informants, with whom some members of the unit had sex.
The fallout further strained an already uneasy relationship between Gallenstein and then-City Manager Stephen Bonczek, who despite the tension between the men said at the time that the chief had largely run a clean department.
At the time, both critics and allies blamed Gallenstein's troubles on a hands-off management style and putting too much faith in subordinates.
"The real problem with Chief Gallenstein," said the director of the local Police Benevolent Association at the time, "is that while he is just one heck of a nice guy, his management style is laissez-faire."
Tim Gallenstein said his older brother resigned as chief because he was tired of the job.
"He just wanted to get out," Gallenstein said. "All the politics and stuff, he wanted to get away from it."
In Dunnellon, Gallenstein pursued a passion for fishing and hunting deer, turkey and hogs. He also played poker and enjoyed the company of other Largo High graduates living in the area.
"He was a wonderful person, a wonderful husband," said Jane Gallenstein. "I think everybody is really going to miss him."
Gallenstein was entombed Wednesday at Serenity Gardens Mausoleum in Largo.
Will Van Sant can be reached at vansant@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4166.
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