AUGUSTA — At the end of 2013, Dick Gribbin retired from what he Thursday called “the best job I ever had.”

Gribbin had spent the previous 38 years as a bail commissioner, setting bail and accepting bail payments for and from people seeking to get out of jail in Kennebec County.

“I loved the people. I loved talking to the people,” said Gribbin, 82, of Augusta, Thursday. When they were leaving the lockup, he offered advice. “Some of the people heeded it and some didn’t.”

Gribbin was appointed a bail commissioner in 1976 after previously working for the Maine State Police, in New York and as a recruiter for EDS, Electronic Data Systems, the firm founded by Ross Perot.

Gribbin was one of three people honored Thursday at the Kennebec Sheriff’s Office for their service to county law enforcement. Also honored was Jason Stonier, of Litchfield, who retired after 17 years as maintenance supervisor at the jail where he initially started as a corrections officer.

Randy Parker of Brooks, who retired as a sergeant after 25 years from the Maine Army National Guard, was honored as well. He spent the last seven years of that assigned as a criminal data analyst with the major crimes unit at the sheriff’s office. Parker did two tours in Iraq as part of the 133rd Engineer Battalion, and his wife and son are due back in July from Afghanistan where they’ve been serving with the same unit.

At Thursday’s ceremony, Major Ryan Reardon, deputy chief of the Kennebec Sheriff’s Office praised Gribbin for his years of service.

“We can only express our gratitude to Commissioner Gribbin for coming in all hours of the day and night,” Reardon said. “As bail commissioners, sometimes the people they deal with very early in the morning aren’t the best to deal with.”

People freed on bail lower the numbers the sheriff’s office is responsible for at the jail, and Reardon said Gribbin was particularly good at working with jail intake officers.

Many of Gribbin’s family joined him at the reception, including a son and his family from Massachusetts as well as his daughters. One granddaughter hollered, “Grandpa” as soon as she saw him in the room.

Gribbin immediately recalled the highest bail he ever set: $1 million personal recognizance. “The judge called me and wanted me to set that bail,” Gribbin said.

Maine law says a bail commissioner “can set preconviction bail for a defendant in a criminal proceeding” except for murder charges, and certain charges against family or household members.

The current bail commissioner fee is at $60 by law, with some exceptions for indigent defendants. It was previously $40. When Gribben started, the bail commissioner charged $5 to set bail 6 a.m.-6 p.m. and $10 for 6 p.m.-6 a.m.

The job gave his one his most poignant moments. A man posting bail for a defendant had lost a son when his Army helicopter crashed in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993.

“I opened my hand and he put the key to the helicopter in it which the crew had sent him,” Gribbin said. “He was so proud of his son.”

When Gribbin retired, Jennifer Bryant, an attorney, was appointed as bail commissioner for the state of Maine. She joined bail commissioner Wayne Michaud in the Augusta area.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

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Twitter: @betadams