Veteran Police Officer Retires After 29 Years

Veteran Police Sgt. Ramon L. Peterson, who gathered evidence in one of the city’s most notorious cases and helped develop the city’s Megan’s Law policies, retired from duty this month.

He served 29 years, nine months and nine days with the department.

About 15 years ago, Peterson investigated charges that the former director of the Cypress Boys Club was molesting children, said Sgt. Larry Jordan, a 25-year veteran.

“One of the molest victims reported it to the Police Department, and he was working investigations at the time and followed up some leads,” Jordan said. “He was the one who gathered most of the evidence in that case.”

The director eventually admitted to molesting boys, and the case remains one of the best-known in city history, Jordan said.

Peterson also developed local policy for handling Megan’s Law, which allows police to notify residents that convicted child molesters are living in their neighborhoods.

After joining the force in 1968, Peterson, who turns 54 on Aug. 13, worked in every division of the department, including investigations, the Special Enforcement Team, personnel and training, background investigations, operations, traffic patrol for the Los Alamitos Race Track and support services.

He was named officer of the year in 1992.

“He’s a great guy,” Jordan said. “I’ve known him for 25 years, I guess. He was a very good trainer and had a lot of experience.”

Peterson lives in Yorba Linda with his wife, Lynn. He has a daughter, a stepson and two grandsons.