Grand Blanc Township police chief retiring after 26 years with department

GRAND BLANC TWP., MI – After 26 years with the Grand Blanc Township Police Department – including six as the chief of police – Ron Wiles is retiring.

His last day as chief will be Aug. 28, wrapping up with the conclusion of the Ally Challenge at the township’s Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.

“I owe a lot to Grand Blanc Township, and my whole professional career basically has been here at Grand Blanc Township,” Wiles told MLive-The Flint Journal Thursday, July 21, in an interview at the police department. “I love Grand Blanc Township. There’s not a day that has gone by that I have not enjoyed coming to work. There’s been challenges of course, but it’s a great place to work, great department, great community support, great support from our elected officials.”

But Wiles, 50, will remain involved in law enforcement, although it will be in a citizen role. He will be taking over as the Deputy Director with the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.

“I don’t know if I knew when it was time (to retire). I knew I would never probably be a chief at another agency just because of my commitment to Grand Blanc Township,” Wiles said. “But, if an opportunity came up where I could still make a positive impact, especially in the law enforcement community, I would look at that. One of those positions became available.

“It was tough though,” he continued. “It was one of those (decisions) you lose sleep over because of my love for Grand Blanc Township and this police department.”

Wiles was fortunate to have prior experience with the association. He was coming off two terms as president, and said he was able to get a really good look at what the association does and how it impacts not only law enforcement across that state, but also residents across Michigan as a whole.

The association has made an impact across the state through advocacy and professional development components, Wiles said. Another way the association has made an impact is its accreditation program.

Grand Blanc Township has one of the 48 accredited agencies across Michigan, meaning they are one of the departments voluntarily complying with 108 best practice standards in a program designed by the association.

Wiles said the program is relatively new and that he’s hoping to see it take off even more in the future among the roughly 600 police agencies in Michigan.

“A lot of times when we talk about policy development and law enforcement and changes in policy that people want to see, accreditation already encompasses that,” Wiles said. “They just don’t give out the accreditation certificates. You got to earn them. It’s a two-year process to get through it. So, I’m really anxious and excited about the opportunity to work with other police agencies to help them through that process.”

Although Wiles has spent more than 25 years in law enforcement, that wasn’t the original plan.

He had attended Michigan State University, graduating with a degree in geological sciences.

But when he was going through college and trying to decide what he wanted to do afterward, he realized he’d need to go back for a master’s degree to pursue a career in his field.

That wasn’t something Wiles said he was interested in doing.

“I knew I wanted to help (people). I mean, it sounds cliché, that’s what cops say, I want to help people, but it’s totally true,” he said. “When I was in school, and I took a couple criminal justice classes, really enjoyed them. I put myself through the police academy, graduated the police academy, and then my first job was in Calhoun County at the sheriff’s office.”

After a few months, Wiles came to Grand Blanc Township.

Twenty-six years later, he’s still here.

“I really have held every rank in this department,” he said. “So, when you talk about someone that’s climbed the ladder, so to speak, I’ve done that as a police officer, detective sergeant, lieutenant, captain, now the chief.”

Wiles is leaving big shoes to fill in Grand Blanc Township and may have some role in the process of hiring his replacement.

The township is currently searching for a company to execute a search for Wiles’ replacement. He said he believes that while he won’t be actively involved in the hiring process, he may be asked for input.

While his job duties will be changing, one thing that will remain the same is that Wiles and his wife will remain as residents in the Grand Blanc Township community.

Wiles said that his family, which includes two children who attend Michigan State University, have made the area their home for the past six years and want to remain a part of the community.

“This is a department that has outstanding community support, and it’s because of the service that our men and women provide each and every day,” Wiles said. “They do a tremendous job and I’m terribly thankful for what they do. It’s not always easy, but they do it every day and they’re committed to providing a superior level of service. So, I’m very thankful for the work they do.”

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