For years he has been the spokesman for the St Joseph Police Department.  On Friday Captain Kevin Castle is retiring from the department and will take up similar duties for Heartland Regional Medical Center.

In an e-mail to media contacts Thursday Castle said he would spend some time with the next PIO, “to relieve any fears he/she may have coming in.”

” I speak with some of you as much daily as I do my wife, and I consider many of you as friends as much as work contacts, ” Castle said.

Castle’s last day will be Friday, August 10.