He began his professional life as an assistant buyer of sporting goods and toys at Kaufmann's department store. His next stop is heading a new investigations unit in the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.

In between were 381/2 years devoted to keeping Castle Shannon safe.

"He's been a top-notch chief who made my job easy as I don't have to worry about public safety," said Mayor Donald Baumgarten about police Chief Harold Lane, whose last day on the job is tomorrow.

A dinner in his honor will be held Saturday at the Memorial Fire Hall on Library Road.

On Monday, Mr. Lane becomes director of the new Crime Scene Investigations Unit in the Dormont office of the district attorney.

"Everything I wanted to do in law enforcement I've done. I'm looking forward to my new challenge," said Mr. Lane, 61, whose years as a borough police officer included the last 17 years as chief.

Mr. Baumgarten said the borough is conducting a statewide search for his replacement through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, and hopes to hire a new chief by July.

In the meantime, Sgt. Joseph Caruso will serve as the officer in charge of the 11-member force.

Mr. Lane spent most of his childhood in Castle Shannon, graduating from Dormont High School in 1966. His interest in police work was piqued listening to President Richard Nixon address police issues and watching city police -- "they are always busy and doing something serious," he recalled -- from his vantage point in the Kaufmann's store Downtown.

He filed an application with Castle Shannon, and was hired in 1971 at age 22.

As the state did not yet require police academy certification, Mr. Lane's training was largely on the job, although he was familiar with firearms from time spent hunting. Two years later, he was a member of the first class of the new county police academy.

One of his biggest cases was helping to break up a prostitution ring that operated a string of massage parlors, including the Tokyo Health Spa in Castle Shannon.

Mr. Baumgarten said Mr. Lane made certain the borough was up-to-date on police technology and resources. He established an investigations unit and commercial vehicle inspection unit; designed and developed a departmental policy and procedures manual; acquired K-9s; and more.

He is also responsible for the borough's community resource officer, and two Drug Abuse Resistance Education officers who teach schoolchildren about avoiding drugs.

Mr. Lane is an elected member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

Among his responsibilities in his new post will be training police officers in identifying and securing evidence; deploying crime scene scientists to crime scenes below the homicide level; overseeing a new fingerprint lab; and organizing an internship program for law-enforcement and forensics college students.

Mr. Lane resides in Scott with his wife of eight years, the former Dawn Crabb, who is also the former Castle Shannon manager.

He has four sons, one stepson and one stepdaughter.

"The family is so close the kids introduce each other as brother and sister, with no 'step' " he said.

As to what he will miss most about being chief, Mr. Lane said "knowing that I had the ability to make a difference in the community.

"I have been very fortunate. Our mayors and council people and myself worked as a team. They gave me an awful lot of trust, and my accomplishments came from that."