LABOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Gil Coerper
Retired Officer, Huntington Beach Police Department, and Councilman, city of Huntington Beach
Gil Coerper graduated with an Associate in Arts degree from Golden West College in 1977. After serving in the Navy, he joined the California State Military Reserves, where he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He served 39 years on the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD), retiring in June 2002. Gil was then elected to the Huntington Beach City Council that same year, and again in 2006. He became Mayor in 2007.
Gil Coerper was presented the Award of Merit by the Boy Scouts of America, and then the Silver Beaver National Recognition Award — their highest award! Gil has given retirement a new meaning, serving as an advisor on the Executive Board of the Huntington Beach Search and Rescue Post, a leader for the Military Boy Scouts Explorer Post based at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, an advisor on the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation (CPOMF) and as a Congressional Appointee to the Military Selection Committee for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In his town of Huntington Beach, Gil serves on the Children’s Needs Task Force, the Library Board, the Human Relations Task Force, the Council on Aging and the Citizen Participation Advisory Board. Golden West College is proud to have been at the beginning of Gil Coerper’s remarkable and longstanding service to our community and our nation.
Gil Coerper served as a sworn officer with the Huntington Beach Police Department for 39 years. During that time, Gil proudly served on the Board of Directors for the Huntington Beach Police Officers Association (HBPOA) in all capacities, including several terms as President. Gil has always pushed HBPOA to be involved in the labor side of statewide concerns and matters. Gil was on the original Peace Officers Research Association of California Memorial Committee and transitioned to an active Board member of the CPOMF when it was formed. Gil worked with other members of the Foundation, along with members of the Legislature, to help establish the current Peace Officers’ Memorial. Gil continues to be an active committee member of CPOMF.
Upon retiring from HBPD, Gil was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council. Gil is now serving his third term. Throughout Gil’s time on the City Council, he has done an outstanding job educating his colleagues on the Council about the Police Department and labor issues. Gil has also made a point to continuously educate City Council members about the California Peace Officers’ Memorial. Gil has personally escorted the members of the Huntington Beach City Council to the ceremonies since he has been on the Council. Recently, if you would have peeked into Gil’s garage you would have seen him putting fellow City Council members and the new Huntington Beach city administrator to work making the photo-buttons that the families of fallen officers will be wearing at the 2009 CPOMF ceremony. This year, he will be bringing new City Council members, the city administrator, the chief of police and a police captain to the ceremony.
