He's been a part of the Mounted Patrol at State Fair for nearly 50 years; this year's fair is his last



MILWAUKEE -- During the 165 years of the Wisconsin State Fair, there have been a lot of changes. For example, this year, for the first time, fair visitors must walk through metal detectors for the first time. But Lieutenant Greg Friberg has been at Wisconsin State Fair Park for nearly FIFTY YEARS -- working to keep you safe. This year's Wisconsin State Fair is his last.

Greg Friberg



"The last time I came to the fair and had a chance to walk around was 1973," Friberg said.

But yet Friberg hasn't missed a single day of the fair for almost 50 years! And he hasn't just walked the grounds.

"I`ve seen it from the top of a horse -- but you can`t get them into the exhibit hall!" Friberg said.

Friberg is a lieutenant with the State Fair's Mounted Patrol.

"We`ve worked just about everything in the park, from routine patrol work and public relations to heavy situations to big crowds that started to get out of line," Friberg said.

Greg Friberg



This year's Wisconsin State Fair is Friberg's last. He is retiring.

"Here in the park, it's family. It's not like another job. There's something special here," Friberg said.

Greg Friberg



That feeling is mutual.

"He's a man of honor. He has the Badge of Valor and Purple Heart," Jim Bruno, chief of police said. "When you have a following of your peers and the people you work with, that`s one thing, but when you have the general public coming the fair year after year that follow and know this man and come to home to wish him a happy retirement, that is something that is absolutely unique in law enforcement."

And it's those people, the fairgoers, that Friberg said he'll miss.

Greg Friberg



"I've met thousands and thousands of people here at the park over the years and maybe made a few of them happy," Friberg said.

Friberg is retiring after 42 years at the fair. Before joining the State Fair Mounted Patrol, he was a New Berlin police officer for more than 40 years.

He said while he will miss the fair, he is looking forward to all that retirement will bring. He said he'll be back at the Wisconsin State Fair in 2017 -- with his family, on foot.