Once again, the Los Alamitos Police Appreciation Luncheon was a nice affair that recognized a few people as representatives of the department.
The keynote speaker was Los Alamitos High football coach Ray Fenton, who spoke very nicely about his father, who was a police officer. Though, the opening of his speech was regarding Los Al Chief of Police Eric Nunez, and their first meeting. Fenton and Nunez came to Los Al right around the same time.
Once again, the Los Alamitos Police Appreciation Luncheon was a nice affair that recognized a few people as representatives of the department.
The keynote speaker was Los Alamitos High football coach Ray Fenton, who spoke very nicely about his father, who was a police officer. Though, the opening of his speech was regarding Los Al Chief of Police Eric Nunez, and their first meeting. Fenton and Nunez came to Los Al right around the same time.
Nunez had mentioned that when he was hired as chief, he received a lunch request from Fenton. Fenton explained that he often tries to meet with people in leadership roles, regardless of the profession, because he said you can always learn something about leadership from different arenas, that can be transferred to football coaching.
That led to Fenton asking Nunez to become an honorary coach, after hearing Nunez talk about his favorite part of playing high school football.
Nunez was honored to be asked, but confided in Fenton that he didn’t know anything about coaching. Fenton replied, “That’s why you’re an honorary coach,” he said.
Fenton was a good choice to be keynote speaker. He spoke warmly of his father, whom he called his hero. His father was a Cypress Police Officer, a member of the SWAT team and Officer of the Year in 1971.
Yet, while he spoke of the challenges of police work, he said the most remembered lesson he had from his father was when he told him the most important tool he used in his work, was the pen he used to write his reports; because they had to hold up in court. It was the attention to detail, that young Ray learned was vital, in police work, and subsequently in any work.
The last piece of advice Fenton offered to police officers addressed the stresses and emotions that come with the challenges faced by officers. Fenton remembered the way his dad seemed emotionally wound up after a shift. The emotional level and heightened sense of observation needed on the job, could require a long period of decompression after work.
Fenton admitted he felt like he needed more time from his dad, but that his dad needed time to decompress. It was after his father’s retirement, that Fenton noticed a much more relaxed man, who could truly enjoy time with his grandkids. Fenton urged the officers, and really anyone, to find ways to decompress from stresses of life and work and give the time to your kids.
Side note on Fenton and the LAHS football program – they compiled their goal of 1,000,000 burpees and will be getting a visit from retired Navy Seal and motivational speaker Jocko Willink.
Anger on both sides
A quick note on last week’s Teditorial that reported disparaging remarks toward Los Al council members. I’m not sure it was clear, but those remarks came from people on both sides of the issue. The name-calling was aimed at the council member who voted against the city ordinance opting out of SB54.
My point was simply the amount of anger stirred up in support and opposition.