2017 | ipslei.org

2017 lifetime achievement gala

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2017 Awardees

Our 4th Annual Lifetime Achievement Award was held at the beautiful Hyatt Regency hotel in Newport Beach, CA. We awarded four Lifetime Achievement Awards to some of the greatest public servants in our communities and military communities.

Chief Bruegman

Anaheim Fire Department

A noted author and lecturer on leadership and managing change in fire service delivery, Chief Randy R. Bruegman has served as a Fire Chief for 25 years with the past six years leading the 276 members of Anaheim Fire & Rescue. Together with his team, Chief Bruegman developed Anaheim’s first community based Strategic Plan and Standards of Cover for the department which continues to be the road map for the agency’s focus for the next five years. Under his leadership, the agency has achieved two major accomplishments. In March 2014, Anaheim Fire & Rescue received accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; an achievement attained by less than one percent of the 30,000 fire agencies internationally. In addition, the Public Protection Classifications (PPC) program of the Insurance Services Office (ISO) designated Anaheim Fire & Rescue as a Class 1 agency. Anaheim joins a select group of 178 cities nationally and 19 in California to carry a Class 1 rating, and is only one of 44 agencies nationally that have achieved both prestigious recognition.

Chief Bruegman has served as the Chairman on the Commission on Accreditation International (CFAI) from 1997-2000, and as President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in 2002-2003. In 2004, he began serving as President of the Board of Directors of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). He also serves as a principle member of the NFPA 1710 Technical Committee. Chief Bruegman is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers, an Internationally Designated Chief Fire Officer and a certified Fire Chief through the California State Fire Marshal’s office. He holds an associate’s degree in fire science, a bachelor’s degree in business, and a master’s degree in management. He has been married to Susan for 33 years, and they have three children and three grandsons.

Chief Handy

Chief of Police Huntington Beach

Robert Handy was appointed as the Chief of Police of Huntington Beach on December 7, 2013. Chief Handy comes to Huntington Beach from the City of San Bernardino where he served as the Chief of Police for more than two years. Prior to San Bernardino, Chief Handy was with the Phoenix, Arizona Police Department for 21 years. He started as a Police Officer in 1990 and rose through the ranks to Commander. During his tenure in Phoenix, Chief Handy served in a variety of assignments working in Patrol, Gangs, Training, Tactical Support, and Administration.

Chief Handy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Arizona, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He was also an adjunct professor at Arizona State University for 13 years, teaching and developing Criminal Justice classes. Chief Handy has been involved heavily in the community in each of the cities he has worked, including here in Huntington Beach where he is involved in several nonprofit and community organizations. He and his wife Jennifer have two adult daughters.

Chief Remington

Chief Probation Officer, CA

In 1970, Chief Remington began his career in public safety as a parole agent for the State of California. In 1974, he left state parole to become a probation officer for the County of Ventura. He held a number of positions during his time with the Ventura County Probation Agency, ultimately becoming the Chief Probation Officer (CPO) in 1997. In 2007, after 37 years in public safety, Chief Remington retired from the Ventura County Probation Agency.

After consulting privately for over a year, Chief Remington returned to the work that he has loved for over four decades. In 2008, he became the interim CPO for the San Mateo County Probation Department. In 2010, he found his way to the Los Angeles County Probation Department. Chief Remington has served as the acting/interim CPO for Los Angeles County on multiple occasions and continues to serve in this position.

Chief Remington has served on countless boards, associations, and committees. He has held multiple positions on the board of directors for the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), including its president. He has held positions on the California State Board of Corrections, Judicial Council of California, National Association of Probation Executives, California Probation, Parole, and Correctional Association, National Juvenile Restitution Association, and the Governor’s State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, as well as many others.

In addition to his proven leadership in the parole and probation fields, Chief Remington is also an accomplished writer and instructor. He has written a number of publications in the area of victim restitution. Through his efforts, juvenile and family court judges now have a working knowledge of restitution, as it applies to juveniles within the juvenile justice system. He has been a certified instructor for the State’s Standards and Training for Corrections (STC), a faculty member for the Ventura Community College District, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Chief Remington earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at San Jose State University and his Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the University of Southern California.

CSM (Ret) Fields

Retired United States Army

Command Sergeant Major Chris Fields, US Army, (Ret) is the ORW Drop Zone Coordinator and senior facilitator who served proudly for 30 years in the United States Army. He led soldiers as a Scout Team Leader, Squad Leader, Sniper Section Leader, Scout Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant and Command Sergeant Major for an Infantry Battalion and Calvary squadron. He has had four combat tours including one in the Horn of Africa, two in Iraq, and one to Afghanistan.

Command Sergeant Major Fields has a bachelors degree in History through Excelsior University. His military education/training includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger School, Jump Master Course, Pathfinder Course, Sniper school and all of the Army Non-commissioned officer development courses culminating with the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. His highlighted awards include: The Legion of Merit, Five Bronze Stars (two for Valor), Meritorious Service Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), Two Purple Heart Medals, Army Commendation Medal (with eight Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with seven Oak Leaf Clusters), Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Pathfinder Badge, German Parachutist Badge, French Commando Badge, French Foreign Legion Desert Survival Badge.

Chris is a warrior’s warrior whose willingness to be vulnerable to other troops about his own struggles endears him and draws men to him. He is a tremendous example of the power in the willingness submit to God. Behind the battle tested Sergeant Major (who has survived 14 IED attacks, five of which completely destroyed the vehicle he was in – the final attack ending with a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) striking the HUMVEE seat he was in) is a great man of faith. There is no doubt God has saved Chris Fields for a greater purpose of rescuing, rebuilding, and restoring his fellow combat warriors.

"Soldier’s big fight comes in peace"

"Operation Restored Warrior"

"Blown up 14 times' and tough enough to cry"

"The Hornet's Nest"