CORPUS CHRISTI - Corpus Christi Police Officers Association President Mike Staff on Tuesday announced his retirement as leader of the union, as well as from the Corpus Christi Police Department, according to a report in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

Staff led the association for just fewer than six years and has been a police officer for 21 years. He hadn't planned to retire, but a friend owns Apollo Towing and convinced Staff to join the company as vice president. "It was one of those natural things in life where you reach a fork in the road and need to make a decision," Staff said.

Effective Jan. 30, he will be retired from city employment and will start at Apollo on Feb. 4, Staff said. Scott Leeton will replace him as Police Officers Association President.

Staff plans to spend some spare time at the union hall, helping out when he can. He also will remain a reserve deputy, volunteering his time to continue serving the community where he plans to stay, he said.

He said his greatest accomplishment as an officer was saving the life of an elderly woman who was choking.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to be a police officer in Corpus Christi and it's been tremendously humbling and gratifying to work as an association president," Staff said.