NORTON - The last time Norton Police Chief Bruce Finch Jr. started a new job, he couldn't drink legally.

On Dec. 31, Finch retires, and hands the keys to the Norton Police Department to Brian Clark, who was two years behind him at Norton High School.

Finch, 40, is retiring to a private sector job that, he says, he wants to keep private.

After 20 years in the only job he's ever had, starting as a special Norton police officer when he was 20 and ending with 10 years as chief, Finch said he still loves police work. In fact, he had planned to stay as chief until he turned 50.

But life doesn't always turn out the way you plan.

"I've gotten the chance to do something I want to do," he said, keeping mum on his plans.

"It's a lot easier transitioning into the private sector when you're in your 40s than in your 50s," Finch said during an interview in his office. "I can tell you I won't be moving on to be the chief of another city or town department. That's not my mentality."

A lifelong Norton resident, Finch grew up watching his father, Bruce Sr., serve as a special Norton officer from 1958 to 1988.

"I'm sure that planted the seed," said Finch, who lives in town with his wife. "As time went on, I just got interested more."

Finch said he and Clark, who has been overseeing Norton's detective division, have known each other since childhood.

That's a common bond on the Norton force.

"Ninety percent of the guys here grew up in Norton," Finch said. "I'll still be around, and I'll still be talking to the guys."

That familiarity has helped Finch during his 10-year tenure as chief.

"In 10 years, I can count on one hand how many grievances I've had," he said referring to the complaints filed by the police union. "Those grievances have been contractual interpretations."

Finch was the youngest police chief in Norton's history when he was appointed in 1998 to succeed Benton Keene, who served for 20 years.

Since then, Finch primarily has been an administrator.

However, he has enjoyed his times in the field as the incident commander.

"That's where you see all of training come together," he said. "I'm going to miss that."

Immediately into his tenure, in February 1999, Finch and then-Fire Chief George Burgess, coordinated a huge search - involving more than 100 public safety officials and volunteers from across the state - for a missing Nourse Elementary School fourth-grader. The boy, Corey Anderson, had wandered from home during a blinding snowstorm.

Sadly, Corey's body was found four days later on the banks of a brook near his Susan Circle home. The medical examiner determined the boy had dead of hypothermia.

It was Finch and Burgess who shared the heartbreaking task of informing Corey's parents, Peter and Maria Anderson, of the tragic news.

Finch's legacy

Finch said he is proudest as chief of the technology, equipment and training the department got during his tenure.

"We have laptops in every cruiser. We have the latest technology available to law enforcement. The sort of things we never had 10 years ago," Finch said. "I'm leaving Brian with a department with the equipment and technology for 2007."

Two years ago, Norton became the second department in Massachusetts to get Tasers, electronic stun guns.

"It's nice hearing officers from other police departments say, 'Your department is squared away,'" Finch said.