Civilian lawmen open constable/PI firm in Wyoma Square

LYNN – Chances are that if longtime Lynn/Peabody constable Ritchie J. “Rick” Compton or private investigator and constable Michael A. Coller pay you a business visit, you’re not having one of your better days.But last Friday was indeed a terrific day for the two civilian lawmen as they joined with their combined 40 years of experience in the legal arena to launch a new joint venture, Compton Services, Inc. and MAC Investigations, in a Wyoma Square office at 321A Broadway.City officials including Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and State Sen. Thomas McGee, along with Wyoma Square business owners and friends in the legal community, gathered for a ribbon cutting to welcome Compton and Coller at their new business office. The pair plans to steadily grow the business specializing in process serving and evictions, private investigation, corporate security services, vehicle repossession, property management and notary services.Compton has worked as a constable in the Lynn area for 18 years, effecting evictions and serving subpoenas, summonses and other legal documents tied to civil and criminal cases out of Lynn and Peabody courts, Probate and Family Court and Housing Court.”I don’t give landlords legal advice, but I do help them through the process; I help them fill out the forms and point them in the right direction (to start an eviction process),” said Compton, a lifelong Lynn resident and Classical High School graduate who became a constable in 1992.Compton said the job has been challenging at times, given the nature of the work.”The first eviction I ever handled, years ago, was a member of the Hells Angels on Cook Street (in Lynn). I came out of that one OK so everything else since, comparatively, has been less of a worry,” Compton said, smiling. He added, “Guys actually have rarely been any trouble. They know it’s time leave when they’re being evicted. Some women though have been a bit difficult, refusing to leave. Once a woman even chased me from the property and she was in her underwear.”Compton said for many years, the majority of those being evicted were deadbeats who stopped even attempting to pay their rent or mortgage. Today though, with the region still in the grip of recession and the jobless rate hovering at 10 percent, he said it’s harder not to feel empathy and compassion for many of those losing their home.”We’re seeing people now who want to pay but just can’t make ends meet. It’s hard to see, and especially when there are children involved,” Compton said. “And I can’t tell you how many animals – dogs, cats, birds – I’ve taken to shelters and to the Animal Rescue League. That’s another big problem, people leaving their pets behind. I’m an animal lover and I won’t let them be abandoned to streets.”Compton, who worked at Logan Airport for years before going to work as a constable, also held a private investigator license for a couple of years, and has conducted depositions in capital offense cases. He continues to provide services for local private investigation firms. And while he also owned a tow truck for several years, providing towing as another facet of his services, today he works with other area tow companies when handing vehicle repossession cases.Compton plans to expand his business to Suffolk County, and along with Coller is working to align with the state Department of Revenue to pursue deadbeat parent cases.Coller, meanwhile, brings more than 20 years experience as a leader in corporate security, having worked for several major retail chains, handling firearms background checks, loss prevention services and internal investigations. The Saugus native an 1985 Saugus High School graduate lives in Peabody today and he was licensed by the State Police as a private investigator and constable just last year.With his corporate security expertise, Coller was able to skip the usual year of apprentice or tech training required to become a PI.”I was trained in interrogation 20 years ago,” he said. “I’ve had a great c