FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Less than a week before a disciplinary hearing that could have ended his 25-year career with the police department, Capt. Steve Griffis announced his retirement last Friday.

His retirement will be effective Aug. 1, and his last day of work was June 26. Although still a city employee through July 31, Griffis will be taking unused vacation time until that date, and has cleaned out his office and turned in his city automobile, city officials said.

“Capt. Griffis is retiring,” Mayor Tim Kant said Tuesday. “He more or less said, ‘I’m worried about my family and all the issues. And now we have a new chief. I was hoping to be considered for that, but that didn’t happen, so I’d like to retire.’”

Griffis was placed on paid administrative leave May 23 by Terry Sanders, who served as interim police chief from Jan. 22 until a new chief was sworn in this week.

See the complete article in the July 4 edition of the Fairhope Courier