CLEARLAKE -At 91-years-old, Bill Lingafelter was given the chance to revisit his life as an officer of the law on Monday. The Clearlake Police Department welcomed the retired San Francisco police captain to their force for a “Dream Day” experience.
Lingafelter is a resident of Orchard Park Assisted Living and Memory Care Community in Clearlake, which has established a program to make dreams come true. On Monday, Orchard Park united with the Clearlake Police Department to make Lingafelter”s dream to return to his roots come true.
“This idea of ?Dream Day” is growing and growing,” Jane McKnight, Orchard Park community relations coordinator said. “It”s so exciting.”
The day began with Lingafelter being sworn into duty by Chief of Police Allan McClain. Lingafelter received an official “Dream Day” uniform shirt identifying him as a volunteer with the department. He also received a policeman Bobble Head, a commemorative pin and a get-out-of-jail-free token (non-transferable of course).
Lingafelter spent 30 years with the San Francisco Police Department, retiring as a captain on the force. He said he went into law enforcement just after the World”s Fair in 1938. His favorite time was that spent as a motorcycle officer. “On my first day, the captain of traffic asked if anyone rode a motorcycle and I raised my hand,” he said. “The best job I ever had was when I was a sergeant with the motorcycle unit. I had the whole city and everywhere to ride.”
Following is service with the San Francisco department, Lingafelter relocated to the Santa Rosa area to be near his first-born grandchild.
Upon relocating, he said he found himself back in law enforcement working eight years with the Sheriff”s Department.
“Once a policeman, always a policeman,” he said.
Chief McClain led a warm welcoming Monday morning and indicated that fulfilling Lingafelter”s dream would be of benefit to the department as well.
“Today is an important day for us and for you,” he said. “We shouldn”t forget about our resources and those with knowledge of the past.”
Lingafelter, who describes himself as the happiest resident at Orchard Park, said he wanted to spend the day with the department because he was curious as to its operations in comparison to his own experience.
“I was interested in how this police department works. I spent 30 years with the San Francisco Police Department so I was interested to compare the two,” he said. “Everything was very similar. I had wondered if I would notice differences between a small city like Clearlake and a big city like San Francisco, but there”s not much difference. People are the same no matter where you find them.”
Lingafelter spent the day on a ride-along with Officer Carl Miller, of whom he said he was very impressed.
“We went to a school. There was a young boy and he was in the principal”s office,” Lingafelter said, adding that the child was in trouble for threatening a teacher. “I was interested to see how (Miller) would handle the kid. I would have approved if it would have been in my jurisdiction. I was very impressed with the way he dealt with him. He was very efficient and professional.”
Lingafelter said that he recognized many of the same social problems that he had encountered in a different time and different place.
“I see many of the same social problems,” he said. “I was surprised in talking to the gentleman I rode with that most of the problems are similar despite the vastly different communities.”
Orchard Park is currently entertaining a program to make dreams come true. Residents were asked in a recent survey “If money, health and time were not factors, what would you like to do with the rest of your life?” Last month three residents had their dreams to fly come true. McKnight said staff is working on fulfilling its next dream, which is 83-year-old Perley Bouscaren”s dream to skydive.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
