Pete Ghrist
Corporal Pete Ghrist pledged the Oath of Office in 2003 and is a graduate of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. He previously served as a school resource officer from August 2009 until December 2020, during which time he was responsible for the safety and security of Griffith High School, Griffith Middle School, and two elementary schools (formerly four elementary schools), and served as liaison between Griffith Public Schools and the Griffith Police Department. Corporal Ghrist conducted presentations to students regarding anti-bullying, as well as the dangers of using drugs and alcohol, and at times served as an unofficial counselor to students in need. In addition to his many duties as school resource officer, Corporal Ghrist served as a past sponsor for GHS Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), assisted as a chaperone for the GHS International Club student trip to Ireland in 2014, and is current sponsor of the Griffith High School Paranormal Society, a club which allows students the opportunity to learn history in a fun and unique way while supporting the continued restoration and operation efforts of local historical locations. Corporal Ghrist is a certified G.R.E.A.T. Instructor and a graduate of the School Safety Specialist Academy. In the past, Corporal Ghrist also helped run the Summer G.R.E.A.T. Program each June, a positive free program for up to one hundred Griffith and Highland middle school age students.
In December 2020, Corporal Ghrist was offered and accepted the position of Special Services Coordinator. In this position, Corporal Ghrist was responsible for overseeing the police department’s Field Training Program, Volunteer Emergency Support Team (VEST), and Lake Suburban Police Explorers program. He also organized the annual Town of Griffith Public Safety and Community Day for five years, which has become an extremely successful event promoting the area’s public safety agencies, non-profit organizations, and local businesses. Corporal Ghrist held that position until May 2022.
In May 2022, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal. In June 2022, he was invited by Superintendent Leah Dumezich and the Griffith School Board of Trustees to deliver the keynote speech at the graduation ceremony for the Griffith High School Class of 2022. In August 2022, Corporal Ghrist was again offered and accepted the position of School Resource Officer, an assignment which he continues to this day. He continues coordinating the VEST program and Griffith Crime Watch program. Corporal Ghrist has been trained as an evidence technician and is a certified Field Training Officer (FTO). He assists police social worker Erica Rios with community projects and teaches the “Too Good for Drugs” program to elementary and middle school students. He was also recently trained to deliver the PreVenture program, which teaches students how to deal with impulsivity, sensation seeking, negative thinking, and anxiety. Corporal Ghrist is a grant writer for the police department and assists with yearly fundraising for the Griffith Animal Shelter. Corporal Ghrist assists with organizing Griffith Fraternal Order of Police #161’s annual “Cops and Kids” program, conducts tours of the police station for various youth organizations, and is an active member of the Griffith Historical Society.
Corporal Ghrist has received three commendations from Griffith Public Schools during his time as a school resource officer, and four commendations from the Griffith Police Department. He also received American Legion Post #66’s “District 1 Citation of Exemplary Service” in 2016. He was awarded the Griffith Police Department’s first ever Texas O. Minter Award in 2017, and again in 2019, 2022, and 2023 for "outstanding dedication and service to the community above and beyond the call of duty.” In July 2024, Corporal Ghrist was selected as the Indiana District 1 SRO of the Year by the Indiana Chapter of National Association of School Resource Officers.
