Janitor, Secretary Like 'Family' to Police Precinct

During the past 28 years that George Reddinger worked as a janitor for the , he said he learned a lot about "what to do and what not to do."

Several years ago, when it was more common for non-police staff members to run errands between White Marsh and police headquarters in Towson, Reddinger was issued a police car and sent to deliver a stack of officers' paychecks.

The trip was going as planned, until he realized that he had left the checks on the roof of the car.

"There were checks flying all over 695 ... that was really interesting," said Reddinger, 54, a resident.

That was one of many stories shared last week during a retirement party for Reddinger and the precinct's longtime secretary, Bernadette Gall, known as Miss B.

Gall, 65, a resident of Carroll County, spent 27 years working for Baltimore County police, including eight years at the White Marsh station. She said she will miss the excitement of working in a bustling police station.

"I hear from my girlfriends working at doctors' offices or insurance companies and I think, they have such a boring job," she said. "I know what's going on out there. How many other girls in an office would find that stuff out? They have to read about it in the Patch. I know about it before it gets in the Patch."

Lt. Ron Brooks, one of the commanding officers, said Gall and Reddinger had adopted special roles in the precinct.

"Every time someone leaves, it's like losing family. This is like our house here," Brooks said.

"It's not easy being a professional staff person working around all of these sworn officers. Police sort of have their own click and camaraderie. It's not easy to overcome that, but the people here, Miss B. and George, have managed to do just that," he said.

said both would be missed from the station.

"Both are very pleasant, easy-going people. They got their work done without complaint," Balog said.

Reddinger said he plans to look for another part-time job, while Gall said she plans to move to Florida.

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