Gregory S Pfeifle passed away peacefully at his home in Newbury Park, CA on November 19, 2019 after several years of health battles.
Greg was born in Akron, Ohio on December 22, 1948 and moved with his parents Earl and Mary to Southern California as a child.
In July, 1962 at the young age of 14, Greg achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, becoming the first member of Troop 431 since its inception to achieve the honor. Road trips with his father and fellow scouts to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and Colorado Springs in the early and mid 60’s to celebrate the Boy Scouts of America’s Golden Jubilee offered cherished memories for Greg, who realized his desire to serve his country and community through his Boy Scouting experiences.
Studying criminal justice after high school, Greg was conflicted about his future - a coin toss was the deciding factor between joining the AirForce Academy and signing up for the Police Academy, both of which he had been accepted to at that point. Sworn as an officer on January 25, 1971, Greg retired from the LAPD as a Police Officer 3+1 on July 5, 2008, just shy of 40 years of devoted service. Greg was an original Valley Traffic Division Officer who was one of four LAPD (Captain, Sergeant, two officers) selected in 1978 as a task force to conduct research into the validity of decentralizing Accident Investigation from patrol, and creating a new “Traffic Division.” In February, 1979, Valley Traffic Division began. After handling routine and complex traffic accidents in the field, Greg promoted to an Accident Investigator and was a key member of Valley Traffic Division’s Accident Investigation Follow Up. Greg was the Historian of Valley Traffic Division and began authoring a book about the history of the division prior to his death. Greg was essentially VTD before Valley Traffic Division became VTD and was a true pioneer.
While with the LAPD, Greg met and married his wife Paula, an emergency 911 dispatcher, who passed away in March 2018 after a four year battle with cancer. Together for almost 35 years, Greg and Paula shared a passion for volunteerism and community service. Greg spent many weekends overseeing and providing security for events for the Starlight Foundation. After retirement, Greg spent countless hours honoring the anniversaries of passings of fellow VTD officers on Facebook posts, always sharing the poignant praise, “Resting a hero’s peaceful rest.”
An avid football fan throughout his life, Greg’s additional interests included fishing, flying small aircraft, and collecting and trading patches with fellow Police Officers around the globe. A devoted dog lover, the four-legged Pfeifle’s held a special place in Greg’s life, providing companionship and comfort through many years and life events.
Greg is survived by his daughter Carrie, his son Ryan, his grandchildren Michael, Conner, and Dylan, and his many loving neighbors and friends.
A Life celebration will take place on Saturday, January 25, 2020, at 11:00 A.M. at Conejo Mountain Cemetery, Chapel on the Hill, located at 2052 Howard Road, Camarillo, CA 93012. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation or the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation at UCLA.