For a man who was given his last rites in 1971 after being shot, Phil Green made the most of his 42 years thereafter.
Green, a longtime Novato resident, was the longest-tenured chief of police in the state — out of 330 of them — by the time he retired from the Twin Cities Police Authority in August 2010.
Green died in his sleep Feb. 10 during a trip to visit family in Southern California. He was 72.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at the gymnasium of Redwood High School at 395 Doherty Drive.
He served as chief of the former Twin Cities Police Authority from its formation in 1980 until his retirement in 2010. He was one of the few Marin police officers to be shot in the line of duty.
Green was 21 years old when he started his law enforcement career in 1961. He worked for the forces in San Rafael, Corte Madera and Larkspur before taking the helm in 1980 of the newly formed consolidation between Corte Madera and Larkspur. Today it is known as the Central Marin Police Authority.
Survivors include his wife, Chris, sons Phil (wife Nikki), Lawrence (Monica), a daughter Vicki Zink (Terry), stepson Jim Fife, stepdaughter Denise Repp (Matt); nine grandchildren, brothers Russ (Valerie), Randall (Karen), sisters Meredith Young, Shelly Caalim (Mike), and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that donations in Green’s name be made to the Central Marin Police Authority Police Explorer program, Post 400 or the Special Olympics of Northern California.
Here is an obituary from the Marin Independent Journal, and here is one from Marinscope Newspapers.
Do you have memories of Phil you'd like to share? Add a comment below or upload photos.
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