BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Lt. Larry Perry takes over as the top local cop starting this weekend.
The 25-year veteran of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office officially takes the reins of the Independence Township substation from retiring Lt. Dirk Feneley on Jan. 21.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity,” Perry said. “This is one of the premier substations in the sheriff’s office. It’s highly regarded, with a lot of community support. There always had been. There’s a great group of officers out here, and a great relationship with the township.”
The 1984 Lake Orion High School graduate previously served as Oxford Township substation commender from 2007-2010, as well as school liaison officer in Oxford, patrol officer, and sergeant. He has served on the sheriff’s Court Services Unit, which provides security for the Oakland County Court Building, Special Response Team (SRT), which responds to critical situations involving barricaded gunmen, high-risk warrant arrests, drug raids, and civil disturbances, and drill instructor at their boot camp program.
“A lot of neat things in my career – I’ve been very blessed in the sheriff’s office in a lot of different areas. I’ve met a lot of good people.”
He plans to meet with officials of the City of the Village of Clarkston, which contracts for police service with the sheriff’s office through the township.
He studied and played football at Western Michigan University before joining the sheriff’s office.
“My grandfather (Bruce Boyd) was in law enforcement and he said, ‘be a police officer,'” Perry said. “That was my inspiration.”
His priority is to continue to provide excellent police service to the community as it continues to grow.
“That’s important to us,” he said. “I have family here. This is a tremendous community and I’m excited to be a part of it.”