Published: July 02, 2008 10:23 pm            

Friends & Neighbors: Bruce Kenemer

Since Bruce Kenemer has retired as director of the Dalton office of the Department of Juvenile Justice after 28 years, what’s he going to do first?

He’s going to … Gatlinburg! And play on his brand new Kubota tractor his wife, Otivia, let him buy to keep him busy.

Kenemer, who will continue to live in Dalton, was in charge of area juveniles who were placed on probation, which means he saw case after case of young people who had made bad choices and ended up in the court system. He knows all too well what it’s like to have a not-so-perfect childhood.

Kenemer grew up in Royal Oak, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. His father worked as an over-the-road truck driver and was gone a lot, leaving Kenemer lonely and missing his father. His stepgrandfather saw Kenemer suffering and stepped in to play the role of Dad when needed.

“He took me to a lot of places for school functions — dances, football games and stuff,” Kenemer said. “My grandparents were a major part of my life. I have a lot of great memories I hold dear.”

His parents attended a large Baptist church, and young Kenemer also found support there.

“I had the influence of a lot of people in my life,” he said. “I had a long list of heroes.”

After graduating from Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville, Tenn., in 1977, Kenemer followed his father to his hometown of Dalton. There, Kenemer married Otivia and became director of the Dalton-Whitfield Group Home. Otivia found a job as assistant to the academic dean at Dalton Junior College, so Kenemer was left playing “Mr. Mom” to the seven boys in the group home.

That’s right, seven.

“Everything we did, we did as a unit,” he said. “Ours was more a mom-and-pop group home rather than an institution. I think the three years I spent there helped prepare me for this job because I work with the same kinds of kids with the same type of circumstances.”

In 1980, Kenemer went to work for Juvenile Justice as a court service worker for the Whitfield Community Treatment Center. He was named a senior court services worker in 1995 when the center became part of court services.

One of the things he’s most proud of is the Truancy Treatment Team, which works with students in the school systems who have attendance problems. It’s an area Kenemer wants to continue working in part time and he hopes to make some changes.

“If we could work on the front side of a situation rather than the back side, we could hopefully get involved with the kids and families earlier,” said Kenemer. “There’s a good chance we wouldn’t have the problems we see in middle school kids who are already presenting truancy problems.”

The success story Kenemer remembers most is the case of Emmett Babb.

“Judge Coy Temples had sentenced him to probation for 16 counts of burglary. As a result, I had to see him regularly — two to three times a week,” he said. “I made contact at his school, his home and the community. Emmett’s grades improved, not because of me but because of a young man who realized he didn’t want to be part of an adult correctional facility.”

“He made the changes in his life,” Kenemer continued. “Emmett graduated from Dalton High School. He got a good job, was supervisor over 20 people in the carpet industry. He died in a house fire. He built me a bookcase. I gave it to my son (now that he’s retiring). It’s in his office at the courthouse.”

Kenemer sees many challenges ahead for the juvenile justice system.

“We need to go back to it being in the best interest of the child and the best interest of the parents,” he said. “Kids need the influence of a mom and dad or those who would step in and play the role — like a grandparent, aunt or uncle.”

He also sees the warning signs of trouble ahead for the Dalton area if something’s not done.

“Twenty or thirty years ago, kids came to court with just one or two things going on, but now they come in with long lists of problems,” said Kenemer. “It’s going to take a lot of influence from a lot of individuals to make a significant change.”

Just like he received as a young person from that large Baptist church?

“I don’t think we have tapped into the faith community and how they can help,” he replied. “I don’t care where help comes from as long as it comes.”

        

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