Griffiths, Pickler reflect on 30 years

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CMU Police Captain Ron Griffiths remembers transporting injured people along the dirt road now called East Campus Drive, and when Rose Arena was the only facility south of Broomfield Road.

Thirty years later, veterans Griffiths and Detective Sgt. Jeff Pickler, both 53, said they have seen a myriad of changes to the campus and to law enforcement. The two came to CMU in July and November, respectively, of 1973.

“We were both fairly young,” Griffiths said of starting at CMU. “We kind of learned together. (Law enforcement) was not as sophisticated and formalized as it is now. We have gone through the transition together.”

Pickler said it is important to maintain and modernize the police force as changes occur.

“We always have to keep up with the changes,” he said. “Recently, they added a $50 million Park Library, a larger football stadium, the Student Activity Center and just this year the new Towers.”

Hand-held ticket machines, Pickler said, are one of the positive changes that have made his job easier.

Griffiths said he went through a 12-week police academy at Jackson Community College, but that the present 17-week program offers “unbelievable” training.

The pair continue to work football games, commencements and other on-campus events, but their relationship extends beyond work-place boundaries.

Born 11 days apart, the two have gone from rookies to eligible bachelors to established officers.

Now that they are both married, Griffiths said he would remain mum on a lot of the stories from their bachelor days, when they “used to socialize together.” He said the two have also worked on building projects — Pickler helped him build his Mount Pleasant house and garage.

Their similar organizational ways, Pickler said, has led to success in police work.

“We have a good relationship,” he said. “We are both organized, and both very meticulous people. I could pretty well tell you what he thinks most of the time. You can see why we have done well at our jobs.”

Roseville native Pickler said he has always had an affinity for the police force. He said officers in the Roseville police force mentored him and piqued his interest in law enforcement.

Pickler began work at CMU following stops at the Flint Police Academy and the Fraser Police Department.

“I thoroughly enjoy my job here at Central,” he said. “Thirty years ago, I wouldn’t see myself here today. However, I have no plans for retirement in the near future.”

Pickler and his wife, Patricia, have two children. Katie, 19, is a freshman at CMU and David, 15, attends Mount Pleasant High School.

Griffiths is from Mount Pleasant, and has never considered leaving his hometown. He said he will consider retirement when his wife, Anne, a specialist clerk in the Bovee University Center, qualifies for retirement.

With the university’s physical growth, Pickler said, comes responsibility to maintain law enforcement in new areas.

“Within the last year the CMU Police have had the opportunity to grow and are now able to retain new technology and equipment,” Pickler said. “Plus, with the new Towers constructed, we have a community officer located there.”

Pickler supervises police officers, student service officers and the dispatchers during the day, and oversees all investigations.

“We have the opportunity to work really close with the other law enforcement agencies and we enjoy good team work with them,” Pickler said. “When we have a major investigation we get the resources from every agency and with that we have always been successful with a positive conclusion.”