Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 16, 1992 TAG: 9201160374
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
ROCKY MOUNT POLICE CHIEF PLANS TO RETIRE
Chief B.G. Pickeral will retire in April after 30 years with the Rocky Mount Police Department.Pickeral, 60, joined the department as a patrol officer in 1962 and was promoted to chief in 1966.
The affable, lanky lawman said Wednesday that he decided it was time for him to step aside.
"I think 30 years in law enforcement is long enough," he said. "I think you have to have good reflexes and think fast, and I'm not as fast as I used to be."
Pickeral informed Town Council on Monday of his intention to retire April 15. Council set no timetable for hiring a replacement for chief of the 11-member department.
Pickeral was born in Pittsylvania County and grew up on tobacco farms. His parents were sharecroppers, who moved Pickeral and his four siblings from farm to farm.
"I attended about all the public schools in the county," Pickeral recalled.
After he left home, Pickeral moved to Danville, became an insurance salesman and met his future wife, Zem.
In 1957, his brother's friend got Pickeral a job as a security guard at Thompson Products, a rocket-fuels processing plant near Rocky Mount.
After the plant closed, Pickeral joined the Rocky Mount Police Department.
"The thing I like most about police work is that hardly a day goes by that you're not in a position to lend a helping hand," he said. "Of course, it's also satisfying to put a crook behind bars."
Pickeral considers himself fortunate to have never had to shoot a suspect or even to have fired his revolver in the line of duty.
"I hope I can go out without doing so," said Pickeral, who looks forward to spending more time hunting, fishing and visiting his three grandchildren.