LAKE FOREST PARK — Former Lake Forest Park Police Chief Cliff Perkins passed away on Sunday, March 2. He was 69.
Perkins served 21 years at the helm of the police department in Lake Forest Park, and 10 years before that as a reserve officer, patrolman, then sergeant. He retired in 1995.
“He was a great guy to work for,” said Lake Forest Park officer Dave Hammond, who was hired by Perkins in 1980. At that time, Lake Forest Park was only 3.2 square miles, there were five full-time people working in the department and Perkins worked a regular 12-hour shift, Hammond said.
“He ran the department kind of like a family,” added officer Ken Hooper, who was hired by Perkins in 1984.
Perkins is credited with starting the DARE program in 1989 in the city’s two elementary schools, a program that puts officers in the classroom teach children about drugs and alcohol. He also started the GREAT program in 1991 — Gang Resistance Education and Training, an anti-gang program.
Ron Seguin, school resource officer for Lake Forest Park Police Department, said when two nearby automobile dealerships donated two vehicles to the Lake Forest Park’s DARE program, Perkins didn’t think twice about donating one of the vehicles to another police department that didn’t have a DARE vehicle.
“He was real humble about it, but it showed he really cared,” Seguin said.
Perkins was also involved in the Lake Forest Park Civic Club, serving as treasurer for over 30 years and as a board member and past president for over 10 years.
“He was a perfectionist and extremely tight with the dollar,” said Bill Ziebarth, who served as president of the Civic Club for 12 years, “and it’s probably the only reason the Civic Club is there in the form it is today.”
Ziebarth said Perkins went to bat for the club to have it designated a non-profit, and even went to court against the King County assessor’s office and won.
“We got our non-profit organization status so we didn’t have to pay property taxes anymore, and were able to continue on as a club, and that’s why our standard deeded member only has to pay $75 a year,” Ziebarth said.
Perkins was an avid motorcycle rider, Hammond said, and participated in the Lawman 1,000 every year, a charity ride done by law enforcement agents. He also started a motorcycle club called the Freewheelers.
He enjoyed taking vacations to find ghost towns on his motorcycle.
He would look for ghost towns in Alaska and Arizona and traveled all over the U.S. once a year just traveling and looking for ghost towns, said his son, Brent Perkins.
He was a member of The Eagles, Kenmore Aerie 2609, for over 20 years, where he served as secretary and on the Trustee Board.
After retirement Perkins ran his own income tax filing business that he had started on the side as police chief.
A memorial service and potluck is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 21 at the Lake Forest Park Civic Club.
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