Lakewood Police Captain Gregory Staffordsmith has retired following more than 25 years with the department, concluding a career in public service that began decades earlier as a Lakewood volunteer firefighter.

Staffordsmith, who was born and raised in Lakewood and attended elementary school in the township, began serving the community as a volunteer firefighter in 1991. He became a part-time paid firefighter in 1994 before taking a civilian firefighter position at the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne in 1995.

In 1999, Staffordsmith joined the Bayonne Fire Department, where he served until beginning his career with the Lakewood Police Department in 2000 after graduating from Ocean County Police Academy Class #75.

During his more than 25 years with Lakewood Police, Staffordsmith rose to the rank of Captain and served as Investigations Commander, overseeing investigations as well as Internal Affairs, accreditation, hiring and other department functions.

“Greg, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside you,” Lakewood Police Chief Gregory H. Meyer said in a message marking Staffordsmith’s retirement. “As someone born and raised in Lakewood, you have dedicated so much of your life to serving the community you call home.”

Meyer thanked Staffordsmith for his friendship, leadership and contributions to the department, saying his years as both a firefighter and police officer reflected “a lifetime of commitment to helping others.”

“You have certainly earned this next chapter, and I hope you take the time to enjoy it with your family and loved ones,” Meyer said. “You will be missed, both professionally and personally.”

The Lakewood Police Department congratulated Staffordsmith on his retirement and thanked him for his decades of service to the Lakewood community.