For Susie Fannin, retirement will mean Nerf gunfights with her seven grandchildren and motorcycle trips to Sturgess.

Fannin spent 18 long years with the Andalusia Police Department as both a dispatcher and a records clerk, she’s come to know the officers as family.

Once Fannin was hired, she said it took some time getting used to the job.

“Before I applied for the job as a dispatcher, I used to drive an 18 wheeler,” Fannin said.

“One of the requirements as dispatcher was to be able to withstand small spaces. I told them I drove trucks for a living and that’s an even smaller space.”

Fannin said that she got to know the officers on another level.

“A lot of people have different opinions on police officers, but they’re people. Just like you and me,” she said.

“Once I started, I got even closer to the officers working. I became kind of like a mother hen. I watched after them.”

After 14 years as a dispatch, Fannin was moved up to records clerk.

Fannin says throughout her time at APD, there have been in and outs with officers.

“We’ve fought just like family,” she said.

In the end, Fannin said what she is going to miss the most are the people she worked with.

“I love them. I’ll never forget all the memories we have together,” she said.

One of those memories includes a prank war with one officer, Cody Warren.

“I’m going to miss Susie,” Warren said.

“I’m going to miss picking on her and doing things like putting salt in her coffee,” he joked.

Fannin plans to kick off her retirement with “12 days of grandchildren.”

“Since I’m retired I can spend all the time I can with my grandchildren,” she said.

“I’m going to start it out by babysitting my grandchildren for the first 12 days of my retirement. I told them to bring their Nerf guns because there will be a war.”

Another thing that Fannin is planning to do in her retirement is work on an old hotel she purchased long ago.

“I bought it probably 20 years ago out in Dozier. I’ve worked on it little by little over the years but I haven’t had enough time to finish. It’s about 75 percent done now,” she said.

Fannin hopes to open the hotel one day.

Fannin also plans to take a road trip to Sturgess, SD, for the annual motorcycle rally.

“I’m incredibly happy to be retired and through with work but I will miss everyone,” she said.