Police Collar Awards at Annual Statewide ‘Olympics’

Two burning questions arose this week: (1) who is the toughest California cop and (2) who was minding the mean streets of the state while more than 6,100 police officers converged on Long Beach to shoot pool, play soccer, throw horseshoes, run track, bowl a few lines and vie for the “tough guy” title?

The answer to the first at least emerged early in the 30th annual California Police Summer Games hosted by Long Beach police this week. On Monday, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Erik Ruble won the men’s honor for the third year in a row.

A lineup of 31 officers competed for nine hours in a distance run, a sprint, a swim, a rope climb and three other events. Ruble executed 53 pull-ups and completed a 761-foot obstacle course in 1 minute, 17 seconds. He bench-pressed 400 pounds--the equivalent of two good-sized crooks. Then he joked about doughnuts.

Losers used every excuse in the book, said Games Registrar Jenon Shaw. “One guy told me, ‘A flea flew right in front of my face,’ ” she said. That would have been on the obstacle course, no doubt.

Making an ID on the “toughest cop alive” did not dampen the spirits of competitors who have been gathering since Sunday at assorted southeastern L.A. sites for 53 other events, measuring prowess in pingpong and surfing, flag football and darts, basketball and tug of war.

Law officers ranging from municipal cops to California-based FBI agents went mano a mano in wrist wrestling and boxing, rifle shooting and bowling. Enough medals were distributed to cause metal detectors to go haywire.

And the 1996 Police Olympics set a record of its own--highest number of competitors ever.

Two years in the works and funded at about $500,000 by corporate sponsors, the Games will benefit Long Beach DARE and Long Beach Police Athletic League for at-risk youths. More than $50,000 worth of official logo merchandise was sold in the first two days, said Long Beach Police spokeswoman Karen Kerr.

The Games have attracted about 27,000 spectators, who watched for free. The biggest draw of the week was the Friday night fights, where third-generation Long Beach cop and Elvis impersonator Billy Foster took the gold medal by forfeit. Never mind leaving the building, his opponent didn’t even show up.

“Boxing is the most exciting because it displays survival skills,” said Al Reyes, an LAPD officer who came south to watch. “The more you sweat out here, the less you’ll bleed on the streets.”

Several thousand fans crowded into the arena to watch 16 three-round bouts, including three between women officers. Men in black bike shorts announced the rounds in the female fights--replacing the more customary ring card women. The men were lustily booed.

L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Liz Aguilera won a gold medal in the lightweight division.

“Part of me is training,” said the officer, who took up boxing last year, “but a lot of me is heart.”

Then there was the bench press.

“I would say bench-pressing shows you’ve got the strength to do the kind of work we do,” said Long Beach officer and bench-press coordinator Roland Bell. “Nothing against flag football, because there is a lot of running,” he said. “But the guys in jail get to lift all the time. They take advantage of it and we ought to, too.”

Oakland Police Officer Mike Gessini--28, 5 feet 8, 237 pounds and five years on the force--has taken home a gold medal for the last six years. He pressed 485 pounds. But Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Dunham lifted 501 pounds.

That’s half a Volkswagen. Or more than 31 bowling balls.

At Cal Bowl in Lakewood, more than 300 bowlers jammed 68 lanes for three days straight. No one pulled a pistol and shot down a pesky seven-pin. These bowlers had averages.

“Bowling helps with your job,” said L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Anderson. “You’re concentrating on your spot, you’re concentrating on your release. You have to have concentration to be a cop.”

Yet, with nary a Tonya Harding or Ben Johnson in earshot, scandal still tainted the cops’ Olympics. Summer Games officials sadly confirmed that the LAPD’s undefeated Division 1 soccer team was disqualified Thursday when rivals discovered that its ranks included an Irvine police officer. Yes, a ringer.

“They have to have players from within their department,” explained Long Beach Police Det. Craig Newland, sex crimes investigator and soccer director. “Rules are rules.”

But those sworn to protect, serve and slide tackle for the LAPD broke them, he said, by using the Irvine officer--who indeed had once been an LAPD cop. “They were one of the best teams out here this Summer Games,” said Newland, “that’s for sure.”

The LAPD fielded a second Division 1 team that placed third.

Times staff writer Jeff Leeds contributed to this story.