By John Murray
An old school detective who served in the Waterbury Police Department for 48 years will be buried Friday with full police honors. Jake Griffin lived his entire life in Waterbury, and passed away September 9th at the Village at East Farms.
Griffin had a reputation as a tough cop, and Waterbury Neil O’Leary, who worked beneath him for 20 years in the detective bureau, said, “Jake Griffin was tough, but fair, and he was by far one of the best investigators the city has ever seen.”
Griffin began his career as a patrolman in 1951, and rose to become Interim Police Chief for two years under the administration of former Mayor Philip Giordano in the 1990s. Griffin’s colorful career included working on the Pasternak murders, the Purolator robbery, and the kidnap and murder of Julia Ashe.
A wake for Griffin will be held at the Casey Funeral Home at 1987 East Main Street in Waterbury on Thursday, September 12th, from 4 pm to 8 pm. The funeral will begin with police honors at the funeral home at 9 am on Friday, September 13th, and will proceed to Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 605 South Main Street in Waterbury for a 10 am mass. Griffin will be buried in New Pine Grove Cemetery.