Commonly addressed by his nickname “Irm,” Irmin L. Pierce is one of five security guards who ensure the safety of students on the Circle. Irm grew up with five sisters and currently resides near campus with his wife, Nancy Pierce.
Irm began his law enforcement career in 1979 as a full-time dispatcher and part-time special officer in Tyngsborough, MA. He transferred to Groton in 1984 as a full-time patrolman at the Groton Police Department. Additionally, Irm worked as a detective inspector and investigated homicide cases. He even got his “20 minutes of fame,” as he puts it, after being featured on the true crime TV show “Twisted Sister.” In 2015, Irm retired and began his work on the Circle.
What is not known to many is that Irm had made a name for himself at Groton long before his official work began by “arresting” former Groton headmaster Mr. William M. Polk as part of a senior prank. Now, after eight years on the Circle, Irm’s day begins at 7 AM by the North Gate. He makes a few rounds in his SUV before stopping at his usual location between the Chapel and the Schoolhouse. He stays there until students come pouring out of the Chapel, which is when he begins his morning greetings and fist bumps until 9 AM.
When asked about why he takes the time to individually greet everyone, Irm said, “I want to bring positivity to people’s days. If I see someone frowning I’ll say ‘Where’s my smile’ and I’ll get a smile. Or if I see someone studying, I’ll give them a fist bump, maybe even a double whammy, just to make them feel a little better. I have the ‘gift of gab,’ so I like greeting people and talking to kids in general. My wife and I are very family oriented. We don’t have kids of our own, so we live that out through people like you guys.”
When questioned about the most important part of his role on campus, Irm said, “The whole point is to be visible. We want to be a deterrent to anybody that wants to come on campus and cause hate and discontent. If they don’t see anybody, then they’re going to assume there’s no threat.” Despite his cheerful appearance, Irm has no problem putting his foot down when it comes to protecting the students: “If you’re doing something illegal, immoral, or unethical, I want nothing to do with you. My focus is the students. I want them to be safe.”
The Circle has become a second home to Irm, who even comes in during his days off and after hours to grab a bagel and hot chocolate from Sukie’s bagel stand or watch the sports games in the afternoon. Known around campus as the “fist bump man,” the Groton community owes a huge hand to Irm for all the work that he does beyond bringing a smile to people’s faces every morning.
