thedrifter
06-16-08, 06:19 AM
Police captain leaving for base post
Akers is highest-ranking officer to leave JPD
June 15, 2008 - 10:21PM
LINDELL KAY
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Tim Akers said he grew up on Camp Lejeune, and now 21 years later, he is returning.
Akers, 44, officially retired from the Jacksonville Police Department on June 1 and Monday began the process to join the newly-formed civilian police force aboard Camp Lejeune.
He joined the Marines in his native Indiana as a teenager and spent four years with the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines.
"The Marine Corps was teaching me to be a leader then, when I was only 17," Akers said. He went to work at the Jacksonville Police Department after his enlistment.
Leaving JPD as a captain, Akers is the highest ranking of several Jacksonville police officers switching over to the newly civilianized Marine Corps Police Department.
Akers left the Jacksonville Police Department as the Traffic Division supervisor and will become the base police force's operations officer. In his new job, Akers will be planning and coordinating the new Department of Defense police force for Camp Lejeune.
"This is a chance to be a part of something from the ground up," he said. "There will be opportunity for growth on base, and the pay is compatible to what I was making."
Akers said he feels like he had hit the glass ceiling at the Jacksonville Police Department. A father of three, he said he had to think about their future in planning his.
"I have two girls who want to go to a prestigious college," he said. "I have to consider that as well."
Akers said he saw the move as an opportunity to still work with the people of Jacksonville, a community he has lived in since he was 17 years old.
"I'm not leaving Onslow County," Akers said. "It has been a privilege to work for the people of Jacksonville."
Akers family said they support his decision.
"As long as he is happy, I'm happy," said Kimberly Akers, his wife of 11 years. "I support Tim 110 percent."
Akers said he will miss working at the Jacksonville Police Department.
"The JPD has been a big part of my life," he said. "When I knew I was going, I tried to make it to where it had as minimal impact on the Police Department as possible."
Jacksonville Police Chief Mike Yaniero said he hated to see Akers and the others leave.
"The Police Department put a substantial investment in them," Yaniero said. "We consider them a real loss."
Yaniero said the department especially will miss Akers.
"He just attended the FBI National Academy last year," Yaniero said. "His leaving creates a huge hole."
In his 21 years on the force, Akers was a SWAT sniper, worked with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, was a school resource officer before the position was official and implemented the K-9 program with Coastal Carolina Community College.
He begins training June 23 with the next class at the East Coast Regional Marine Corps Police Academy. Some of his instructors will be former Jacksonville police officers he trained at the Police Department.
Contact crime reporter Lindell Kay at lkay@freedomenc.com or 910-554-8534. Read Lindell's blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.
Ellie
Akers is highest-ranking officer to leave JPD
June 15, 2008 - 10:21PM
LINDELL KAY
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Tim Akers said he grew up on Camp Lejeune, and now 21 years later, he is returning.
Akers, 44, officially retired from the Jacksonville Police Department on June 1 and Monday began the process to join the newly-formed civilian police force aboard Camp Lejeune.
He joined the Marines in his native Indiana as a teenager and spent four years with the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines.
"The Marine Corps was teaching me to be a leader then, when I was only 17," Akers said. He went to work at the Jacksonville Police Department after his enlistment.
Leaving JPD as a captain, Akers is the highest ranking of several Jacksonville police officers switching over to the newly civilianized Marine Corps Police Department.
Akers left the Jacksonville Police Department as the Traffic Division supervisor and will become the base police force's operations officer. In his new job, Akers will be planning and coordinating the new Department of Defense police force for Camp Lejeune.
"This is a chance to be a part of something from the ground up," he said. "There will be opportunity for growth on base, and the pay is compatible to what I was making."
Akers said he feels like he had hit the glass ceiling at the Jacksonville Police Department. A father of three, he said he had to think about their future in planning his.
"I have two girls who want to go to a prestigious college," he said. "I have to consider that as well."
Akers said he saw the move as an opportunity to still work with the people of Jacksonville, a community he has lived in since he was 17 years old.
"I'm not leaving Onslow County," Akers said. "It has been a privilege to work for the people of Jacksonville."
Akers family said they support his decision.
"As long as he is happy, I'm happy," said Kimberly Akers, his wife of 11 years. "I support Tim 110 percent."
Akers said he will miss working at the Jacksonville Police Department.
"The JPD has been a big part of my life," he said. "When I knew I was going, I tried to make it to where it had as minimal impact on the Police Department as possible."
Jacksonville Police Chief Mike Yaniero said he hated to see Akers and the others leave.
"The Police Department put a substantial investment in them," Yaniero said. "We consider them a real loss."
Yaniero said the department especially will miss Akers.
"He just attended the FBI National Academy last year," Yaniero said. "His leaving creates a huge hole."
In his 21 years on the force, Akers was a SWAT sniper, worked with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, was a school resource officer before the position was official and implemented the K-9 program with Coastal Carolina Community College.
He begins training June 23 with the next class at the East Coast Regional Marine Corps Police Academy. Some of his instructors will be former Jacksonville police officers he trained at the Police Department.
Contact crime reporter Lindell Kay at lkay@freedomenc.com or 910-554-8534. Read Lindell's blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.
Ellie