Full Notification

Thursday was a special day at the San Leandro Police Department, as retired members were honored for their service to the community during the Department’s annual retiree brunch.  October 27th was especially memorable for retired Officer Gordon Grimes, who celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday at the SLPD.

The event began with a warm welcome to the retirees by Chief Jeff Tudor.  San Leandro’s Honorable Mayor Pauline Russo-Cutter made a special presentation to Officer Grimes by presenting him with a proclamation from the City Council naming October 27, 2016 as “Gordon Clifford Grimes, Jr. Day.”  

Officer Grimes, who served as a San Leandro Police officer from 1957-1976, began his law enforcement career in Detroit, MI in 1950, after honorably discharging from the United States Coast Guard.  The war veteran served as a member of the USCG, and was deployed to the South Pacific Ocean during World War II.

Grimes became responsible for implementing the Department’s first crime scene evidence and identification unit.  He completed specialized training courses taught by the FBI and other experts and learned how to process crime scene evidence for fingerprints, hoping to learn the identity of the unknown suspect.  Today, many refer to this specialized unit as “C.S.I.”  

Officer Grimes’ legacy continues today, as the Department continues to have specially trained officers that perform crime scene evidence collection, and other members that scientifically process the evidence for latent fingerprints.

Grimes is also credited for designing SLPD’s insignia in the 1970s that is still used as the shoulder patch on SLPD’s uniforms and logo on patrol car doors.  

“This annual event is very special to all of us at the SLPD.  To an extent, it’s like a family reunion,” said Lt. Robert McManus.  “Each year, we have the opportunity to honor our predecessors that have paved the way for our Department and it gives us a chance to reconnect with many of our mentors who “raised us” in our law enforcement careers.”

In addition to the proclamation from Mayor Russo-Cutter, and surprise birthday cake, Grimes was interviewed by KCBS reporter Jeffrey Schaub about his law enforcement career.  The interview aired Thursday on the radio station, making “Gordon Clifford Grimes, Jr. Day” a very memorable event for the oldest member of the San Leandro Police Department.     

    
MEDIA UPDATES WILL BE MADE AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE

Please contact the San Leandro Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division with any information regarding this case or any other case at (510) 577-3230. 

Information may also be submitted anonymously by:

•    Phone:    Anonymous Crime Tips at (510) 577-3278
•    Text Message:      Text “TipSLPolice” to 888777

For crime prevention tips, please visit the Police Department’s website at http://www.sanleandro.org/depts/pd or contact our Crime Prevention Unit at 510-577-3228.

Citizens play a critical role in creating a safe environment by observing and reporting any suspicious or criminal activity to the police.  The San Leandro Police Department recommends that citizens do not participate in any direct verbal or physical involvement with suspicious persons or those engaged in the commission of crimes. Personal safety of our community is paramount.  We encourage the San Leandro community to record the details of what they observe and to report those details to the police.  This type of community involvement and partnership has proven to be a very effective crime prevention tool.  Citizens act as the eyes and ears of the community first, and the extended eyes and ears of the San Leandro Police Department.  Thank you for being a force-multiplier in our efforts to provide professional police services and safety to the community.
PRESS RELEASE INFORMATION:
DATE / TIME OF RELEASE: 10/28/16 – 2:45pm

INCIDENTS: SLPD Honors Officer Grimes on his 90th Birthday
 
PRESS RELEASE OFFICER:  Lt. Robert McManus        

TELEPHONE: (510) 577-3232

EMAIL: [email protected]

DATE / TIME OF INCIDENT: 10/27/16 – 10:00am