As Boys in Blue, a Father-and-Son Team Makes the Grade--and History--at Police Academy

“Pops” and “Little Bishop,” as they were affectionately called by their classmates, recently made history when they graduated together from the North Orange County Police Reserve Academy. Al and Adam Bishop of Brea are the first father-and-son team to graduate at the same time from the academy at Fullerton College.

The Bishops were among 13 police science graduates of the 26th Police Reserve Class. They completed 350 hours of specialized training for eight units of college credit.

Al, 46, a teacher of health and safety courses and driver’s education classes at Brea-Olinda High School, took the courses to complement his work as a teacher. Al also works part time as a volunteer reserve officer for the Brea Police Department.

Adam, 19, now works as an automobile repossessor and hopes to work for the California Highway Patrol when he turns the necessary age of 21. Most police departments will not hire him until he is at least 20 1/2 years old, his father said.

The elder Bishop said the two didn’t compete against one another for grades, but helped each other out.

“The entire experience was good for us. We shared experiences that brought us closer together,” Al said. “For a father of 46 to say that about his 19-year-old son is pretty amazing. And though most police departments do not allow relatives to work together, we still have hopes that maybe someday we’ll get the chance.”

The California Certified Public Accountants Foundation for Education and Research will present Dale Bandy with its excellence award for faculty members this fall.

Bandy is a professor of the School of Business Administration and Economics at Cal State Fullerton. The award is presented to “honor a contemporary leader in accounting education who has made exceptional contributions to the development and influence of future members of the profession.”

At Fullerton, Bandy participated in the formation of the master’s degree in taxation and master’s degree in accountancy programs. He also helped develop individual graduate and undergraduate courses in accounting.

The Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross has named a blood center facility in Santa Ana after John C. Coelho. The Villa Park resident joined the Red Cross as a volunteer director in 1978 and served as the Orange County chairman of the board of directors from 1981 through 1984.

The dedication marks the final phase of the organization’s $3.8-million campaign to construct the blood center and refurbish the existing Red Cross Chapter Building located on Parkcenter Drive. Coelho, a builder and developer, is a principal in the Orange County firm of Valenti & Coelho.

Sheridan Ball, Cypress College’s choral director, will leave for the Soviet Union Friday with the William Hall Chorale of Pasadena. Ball, of Anaheim, is an associate director of the Hall Chorale and will sing tenor solos during the performances. Ball is president of the Orange County Choral Conductors Guild and is also director of music at First United Methodist Church of Orange.