Canton Police Department is preparing to say goodbye to three of its original police officers. On November 9 and 10, Lieutenant Robin Cripe, Lieutenant John MacDiarmid and Officer Rene LeBlanc will retire from the department.

Lieutenant Robin Cripe hired onto the department in 1978 as a patrol officer, at which time he was issued the first Canton Police Officer badge #101. He was promoted to the rank of corporal in 1980, and sergeant in 1984. In 1990, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, becoming responsible for performing the duties of a shift commander for the department. During his 28 years of watch over Canton, Lieutenant Cripe has been active in many special units within the department including the detective bureau, evidence technicians, special services, accident investigation, and range instruction. He was also an integral member and team leader of the Western Wayne County Special Operations Team for seven years. Cripe has been the recipient of 18 departmental awards and citations during his career, including a commendation for his outstanding leadership and participation on the Special Operations Team, and a citation for rescuing a victim from a house fire. He received the Michigan Tactical Officers Award for Excellence from the Michigan Tactical Officers Association in 1995. Lieutenant Cripe also received a letter of commendation from the FBI commending his efforts in the apprehension of a serial bank robber in 2002. In addition to a fulfilling career with the department, Rob met his wife of 25 years, Karen, when she was also employed as a Canton Police Officer. Rob and his wife have two children, Brigitte 19, and Michael, 17.

Lieutenant John MacDiarmid hired onto the department as a police officer in 1978. One of his first assignments was to the department's detective bureau where he enjoyed working undercover on auto theft and narcotics cases, and conducting surveillance investigations. MacDiarmid was promoted to rank of sergeant in 1986, and lieutenant in 1990. During his 28 years of watch over Canton he has received numerous letters of appreciation from citizens thanking him for everything from good police work to helping an elderly gentleman change a flat tire. Over the years, MacDiarmid has been involved with many special units and committees in the department including the detective bureau, evidence technicians and special services. He organized the department's first Officer Training Program in 1985, for which he received a department commendation. During his career, MacDiarmid received over 30 departmental awards and citations including a department commendation for the apprehension of three male suspects who had kidnapped a young woman and were in the process of assaulting her; and a department citation for rescuing a 5-year old boy from drowning. MacDiarmid also received several awards of meritorious service, including a certificate of merit for the apprehension of suspects responsible for a series of burglaries, recovering thousands of dollars worth of stolen property along with a large quantity of drugs. In 2004, Lieutenant MacDiarmid received a thank you from the United States Secret Service for his invaluable assistance during a visit by President Bush. John has three children, Lexie 14, Nick, 16, and Kerri, 31, who is married and expecting twin girls.

Officer Rene LeBlanc hired onto the department as a part-time police officer in 1978 and became a full-time officer the following year. During his 28 years of watch over Canton he has received over 20 departmental awards and citations including a life saving award, Officer of the Year, Unit Commendation for the Mettetal Airport plane crash in 1994, and a certificate of appreciation for following-up on a narcotics tip that led to the arrest of three individuals and the confiscation of $32,000 in cash, just to name a few. Throughout his career, Officer LeBlanc has been involved with many special units within the department including the detective bureau, department instructor, field training officer, report writing, in-car computers, and the rapid response unit. He was also a devoted member of the Western Wayne County Special Operations team for nine years. Most notably, Officer LeBlanc was the recipient of many letters of thanks from those he served, commending him for his courteous, professional and compassionate assistance. There are endless accounts of LeBlanc going above and beyond the call of duty while assisting citizens during their time of need. In two separate letters he is referred to as a "gentleman" and as an "angel in a uniform." Whether he was executing a routine traffic stop or investigating a sensitive abuse case, LeBlanc always displayed a caring, professional demeanor. Rene has been married to his wife Dorothy for 10 years and together they have three daughters and two grandchildren.

Public Safety Director John Santomauro states, "The police department is losing three employees who have contributed so much to the organization. I congratulate these men and their families on a successful law enforcement career, and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors."