Flanked by colleagues from Genesee County's criminal justice system, Jail Superintendent William Zipfel strolled out of the new Genesee County Jail in a ceremonial "walk-out" on Friday to end his 42-year career.
Zipfel spent the past decade as jail superintendent, which included helping the county build a new jail over the past couple of years, moving it out of an aging and dilapidated facility on West Main Street.
But for Zipfel, that is not the capstone of his career. As a corrections officer, he's valued the opportunity to help people.
"The occasions when you've actually been able to help somebody, that's difficult to find in the corrections setting, but occasionally it happens, and that's meaningful when it happens," Zipfel said.
What he values most over his long career are his colleagues.
"The people in the department, the camaraderie and the people who made it worthwhile, especially the sheriff," Zipfel said. "I have nothing but the highest regard for the sheriff."
During his career, Zipfel has been a firearms instructor, defensive tactics instructor, aerosol chemical agents instructor and suicide prevention instructor.
His passion, though, is skydiving, and skydiving figures prominently in his retirement plans.
"My wife will be ticked, but I probably will go renew my skydive ratings and get my instructional ratings back that I've had and do some more skydiving," Zipfel said.
Photo by Howard Owens.
