Officer Betty Griffin retired on March 1 after 33-1/2 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Park Police. Griffin has been a pioneer on the force, in the police community and the public. Her work and commitment have helped African Americans and women break through barriers to reach their full potential.

Griffin grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and South Carolina. After graduating high school, she joined the Job Corps and moved to Huntington, W.Wa.  While there, the Corps selected her to go to Washington, D.C., to train at a government agency. She finished her commitment then attended the University of Maryland before taking a job with Prince George's Hospital as a medical receptionist in its emergency room.

It was there that a U.S. Park Police officer, who had come to the hospital while on duty, recruited Griffin to apply to the force. The U.S. Park Police hired her. Griffin began her career with the force on August 18, 1974, attending the Combined Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Washington, D.C. After graduating, she field-trained at the Anacostia Station and followed that with an assignment to the Central District patrolling the National Mall.  After 18 months the U.S. Park Police reassigned her to the Visitors Center at Union Station until the station closed in 1983.

In 1983 she transferred to the Anacostia Station, which was first  located at what is now the Aquatic Education Center in Anacostia Park. When the station moved to the Anacostia Operations Facility at the other  end of the park, Griffin helped establish a desk-officer position to process prisoners and handle station duties. As technology progressed over the years, she became the primary coordinator and instructor for Criminal Justice Information Services and assisted in instructing the Washington Area Law Enforcement System for the force. Griffin remained at the Anacostia Station until her retirement.  Over the years, she has taken many officers under her wing to help guide, support, and pass on her knowledge and wisdom. Her contributions and many years have made her an iconic figure at the Anacostia Station.

Griffin became a hostage negotiator for the force in 1984. She is a member of the Metropolitan Area Crisis Negotiators Association. She had the opportunity to utilize her skills in 1997 when the Metropolitan Police intercepted a man threatening to throw a child off the Sousa Bridge. The Metropolitan Police began negotiations, and Griffin responded to help support negotiations with the suspect. Through the negotiators' efforts, the Metropolitan Police succeeded in safely taking the man and the child into protective custody.

Over her career Griffin has had the opportunity to be part of many nationally significant events. In 1979, she was part of the U.S. Park Police community relations unit and traveled to Brockport, N.Y., for the International Special Olympics, assisting the Washington, D.C., team. During the 1980 Cuban refugee crisis, the U.S. Park Police detailed Griffin and other officers to Fort Chafee, Ark., to provide police services during the processing of refugees. During the inaugurations of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and President George H.W. Bush in 1989, she provided security to ceremonies at the Kennedy Center. In 1992 Griffin was set to attend the International Association of Women Police in Miami, Fla., when Hurricane Andrew struck a devastating blow to the city.  Instead of canceling the event, Griffin and the other members went to Miami and provided relief support to the residents of the area. Finally, in 1996 the U.S. Park Police selected her to supervise and coordinate 250 volunteer police officers during the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, Ga.

Griffin has been a strong advocate and supporter of many organizations that help promote women and African Americans. She is a founding member of the National Organization of Black Women in Law Enforcement. Since its inception in1985, the organization has worked to further the hiring, training, retention, and promotion of females in law enforcement.  She is also a member of Women in Federal Law Enforcement, the International Association of Women in Police and the Georgia Women in Law Enforcement. Finally, Betty is cofounder of Passports To College Inc., which helps high-school students in the Washington, D.C., area visit college campuses.  Her work with these groups and through her career with the U.S. Park Police has helped break many of the glass ceilings for women and African Americans. Her fight for justice and equality has helped those who have followed after her to reach their full potential.

During her career, Griffin has been recognized many times for her dedication to duty. In addition receiving many U.S. Park Police awards, she has received formal recognition from the U.S. Secret Service; the Department of Treasury; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and  the director of Security for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga.

Griffin intends to enjoy life in retirement. The full impact of her sacrifices and dedication to helping African Americans and women, law enforcement and the community cannot be fully realized in a short biography. Fortunately, she has touched many lives of those who have had the joy of knowing her and for those who have unknowingly benefited from her struggles.

Griffin has always lived her life in the spirit of the following quote:

You see things; and you say ‘why’

But I dream things that never were;

And I say ‘Why not’                      

                       George Bernard Shaw