Captain Rob Curott, retiring after 31 years with the Winder Police Department, shares what it’s really like to serve and protect a growing city. From foot chases and felony stops to the infamous muskrat incident, Rob reflects on a career full of wild stories, lasting friendships, and lessons learned. He talks about how policing has changed, what keeps officers going, and how he hopes the community and law enforcement can continue to build trust.

Q: Captain Rob, welcome. Can you tell everyone a little about yourself and your career in Winder?
A: Sure. My father was a police officer in Winder when I was born, but he moved down to Gulf Shores when I was one and spent most of his career on the Gulf Coast. I grew up down there. Around 19, my parents moved back up here to help care for my grandmother. I missed them, so I moved too. I worked at Hills and McLane Trucking before applying at Winder, Barrow County, and Auburn.

Barrow County called me back, and I worked in the jail for about two and a half years. Then the Winder chief at the time, Chief Stone, recruited me. I took the entry exam and got hired. That was the start.

Q: What was the department like when you started?
A: Honestly, it was pretty close to what it is now in size. We had maybe four or five people per shift. I was a housing officer, and we had roles like that pop up over the years. The number of officers hasn’t grown drastically in the past 30 years.

Q: What's one of your fondest memories from your time here?
A: That’s hard. I’ve had so many great experiences. I started in '94, became a housing officer in '96, and worked the Atlanta Olympics that same year. I went all over the country for training, worked K-9, patrol, housing, CID, operations—just had a lot of chances to grow. What I loved most was that every day was different. I don’t think I could have survived doing the same thing on a conveyor belt every day.

Q: You mentioned being focused on DUI enforcement at one point?
A: Yeah, I came in thinking I’d be a big DUI guy. I had the paperwork all prepped in a box in my car. Got my first DUI, but the paperwork took so long—guy was already out and home by the time I finished paperwork. Then I made a routine traffic stop and found cocaine. That paperwork took 30 minutes. So I pivoted to narcotics. More impact, less paperwork.

Q: Over the years, you’ve become a go-to guy for a lot in the community. How’s that feel?
A: I’ve always felt appreciated. I’ve been involved in everything from helping with parades to checking on construction sites. And I hope my retirement opens up growth opportunities for others—there are great officers ready to move up. 

Q: How long have you served as captain?
A: I held the lieutenant role the longest—maybe 12 to 15 years. I worked as patrol commander, operations, CID, and eventually became captain officially. The structure changed a few times over the years, but the responsibilities were largely the same.

Q: What’s the most fun you ever had on the job?
A: Oh, that’s tough. One night, a buddy and I were doing drug work. We caught a guy hiding under a carport in the middle of the night. He took off running, and we were chasing him through yards. One of our corporals blacked out his Crown Vic and drove into a yard to try to head the guy off. The guy literally slid across the hood like Starsky & Hutch. I was behind them and ran around the car—right as the corporal threw it in reverse and nearly backed into me.

We finally caught the guy by a school. As we’re cuffing him, we smelled something awful. We’re all checking our shoes thinking someone stepped in it. Turns out the suspect had [soiled himself]. My partner had weak stomach and threw up. Then I threw up. It was so bad the smell stayed in my patrol car for days. That was one for the books.

Q: What advice would you give someone new to law enforcement?
A: Stick with it. About halfway through my career, I was burned out. Didn’t get a promotion, started a business on the side, thought about quitting. But things got better. A chief who wasn’t a great fit left, and morale improved. The lesson is, tough seasons pass. You’ll work with amazing people—and some who teach you what not to do. Both are valuable.

Q: What’s the strangest call you’ve ever responded to?
A: There was a break-in at a church that was being remodeled. I saw marks on the brand-new doors where someone had tried to pry them open. These were solid oak doors. Turns out, the crew had accidentally hung the doors backwards—so the locks were on the outside. After spending who knows how long trying to break in, the thief could’ve just pulled the door open.

Q: Did you ever deal with wild animals on the job?
A: Oh yeah. One night cars were stopping in the middle of North Broad trying not to hit something. Turns out it was a huge muskrat, about the size of a beaver. We kept people back until Animal Control showed up. We figured they’d have a catchpole or cage, but the guy only had one glove. He grabbed the thing bare-handed, and it went nuts. Got up on two legs like Mike Tyson and started going after him.

It bit through his glove while he was sprinting back to the truck. He threw it in and slammed the door. That muskrat was not having it.

Q: How do you hope the public interacts with law enforcement today?
A: With understanding. Don’t judge every officer by the few bad apples you see in the news. Just like you wouldn’t judge your doctor because another one somewhere made a poor decision, give your local officers the benefit of the doubt. Most of us are here because we want to help people and keep our communities safe.

Q: Any final thoughts as you wrap up your time in Winder?
A: I’ve been blessed to serve this community. There were ups and downs, but I never once felt unappreciated. I’ve worked with great people, and I hope whoever steps into my shoes gets the same chance to grow and serve. I’ll miss it—but I’m proud of what we’ve done.