Officer Chris Kyriakides of the Clarkston Police Department savors the community aspect of policing the village.
Kyriakides, 53, a long time area resident, came to the department in September after a layoff from the Detroit Police Department where he worked for three years.
‘I’ve really enjoyed myself working here and with the other stations in the area. Every one seems to have a goal of community,? said Kyriakides.
The move marked a transition from the streets of Detroit which required a different kind of policing.
‘My experience at G.M. helped with the transition. Clarkston is much more in line with what I did being with General Motors my whole career. Clarkston is much more laid back than Detroit,? said Kryiakides.
Working for 30 years as a department head for General Motors, Kryiakides was in charge of a staff of about 120, dealing firsthand with UAW regulations, labor relations, payroll, budget and a host of other duties.
‘You had to get along with people? It’s the same with police work. You have to be honest,? said Kryiakides, who noted that despite the bad reputation some big city cops receive, he himself earned no complaints and no citations were ever filed against him.
As he works into Clarkston’s part-time rotation, Kryiakides hopes to expand the police officer’s visibility in the community.
‘I hope as part of the department to work on the community policing and provide safety for residents,? said Kryiakides.
In the future, Kryiakides thinks community police departments could benefit from such things as Automated External Defibrillator’s in patrol cars and at stations. He also thinks first responder training for residents can provide an invaluable asset to law enforcement.
Law enforcement represents Kryiakides? second career. He became interested in the vocation listening to his sons, both police officers, discuss the job and tell stories.