Career Day inspiration lasts for decades

In the 1980s, a presentation by Missoula Police Chief Doug Chase during a school Career Day inspired Greg McLean to pursue a career in policing. Greg enrolled at North Idaho College, where he earned an associate of applied science degree in criminal justice.

In 1989, he was hired by the Post Falls Police Department as an animal control officer and then full-time on patrol. Post Falls’ population was about 7,000 at the time and there were eight patrol officers covering the town 24/7. Greg worked the graveyard shift, the only patrol needed overnight back in the day.

When Chief McLean officially retires this month, Post Falls’ population is at the 50,000 mark and there are 62 sworn officers in a police department with a total staff of 100.

I met Greg back when he started at age 22. I was in my late 30s. Then-Chief, the late Cliff Hayes, was my good buddy and just an exceptional law enforcement professional. Those officers who came up through Cliff’s tenure learned the value of community-oriented policing even before that was a common goal for police departments. When the PFPD added motor patrol in the early ‘90s, Greg and Pat Knight were the first officers assigned to the motorcycles. I admit they looked mighty sharp in those uniforms.

In 2008, when I began what would be 16 years as a Post Falls City Councilor, I had a different relationship with the PD, but always one built on respect and appreciation for what our exceptional officers do to keep our community safe.

Greg McLean rose through the ranks from animal control to Chief. He never forgot the cornerstone of public safety, respecting the citizens he served. Now that he’s retired, hopefully, he’ll continue to do high school career day presentations to inspire another generation.

Greg and I have been friends for his entire 36-year law enforcement career. We’ve seen Post Falls grow from a few thousand to 50,000+ and we definitely have a lot of stories of this town.

Here’s to Greg and the good guys (and gals) who choose to wear the uniform and put themselves in harm’s way to protect and serve so that the rest of us can sleep well at night.

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On Saturday, the fall Cowboy Breakfast is taking place at the historic Pleasantview School on West Riverview Drive. A biannual fundraiser for the restoration and maintenance of the school, which was built in 1910, this breakfast is a glimpse into the past for Post Falls. Volunteers from the Pleasantview Community Association serve homemade buisuts and gravy, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee. Homemade jellies, jams and honey butter grace each table.

Breakfast is served cafeteria style on the main floor, so there’s the added bonus of meeting new people or old friends as tablemates. Conversations flow as freely as the coffee. If you’ve never attended one of these breakfasts, please do and bring the family and tour the school.

From 8 to 11 a.m., $12 per person, family prices available. 18724 W. Riverview Drive, Post Falls.

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How many days until Christmas? Seventy-one. Two months and a day or two! And for those keeping track, the first day of summer arrives in 239 days.

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Happy birthday today to Rich Nyquist, Braxton Kurtz, Dee Jameson, Beth Peters, Katie Smith, Wayne Hammond, Elizabeth McGregor, Laurie Dixon, Beth Myles, Greg Cossette, Dave Smith, Peyton Brown and Patty Cheesman. Tomorrow, Jordan Hudson, Misti Flood, Kathie Lyon, Pam Nygaard, Brad Perry and Mike Farquhar will celebrate. Faith Tonna, Laurie Cook (70!), Dana Albanese (40!), Rosemary Fuller and Karen Deering mark the day of their birth Friday. On Saturday, Arlene Pischner, Keith Erickson, Terry Gurno, Will Wolff, Kevin Clement, Kathy Reid and Lauri Armon blow out the candles. Turning the page on the calendar Sunday are Tom Hamilton, Bobbi Koep, Louise Jackson, Linda Chapman, Dan Gookin and Holly Hall (70!). On Monday, ageless and fabulous Mary Lou Reed turns 95, sharing a birthdate with Luke Malek, Mary Willeford, Jodie Krieg, Nick Peacock, Brooke Litalien and Jerry Lee. On Oct. 21, Carly Goodlander, Mike Threadgill, Monika Krapfl and Paul Mikel do the birthday dance.

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected].