A LOOK BACK -- Jerry Person

This week we’ll take a look at one of our early peace officers.

Gale S. Bergey was born in Los Angeles on June 26, 1889, but lived most

of his life in the Huntington Beach area.

His family moved from Los Angeles to Talbert, now Fountain Valley, in

1900. He completed his basic education there.

In those days farming was the way of life in Fountain Valley, and Bergey

first became a farmer.

We worked alongside the Talberts, Tom, Henry and Sam, during those early

years.

Bergey left the area in 1912 and 1913 to raise grain in Oceanside, but

returned to join his old friend Tom Talbert, running a Ford dealership in

Huntington Beach.

After nearly 20 years of selling tin lizzies, he sold his interest in the

dealership in 1932.

Bergey got his first taste of law enforcement in 1928 when he was elected

a town constable.

Enjoying his new role in the public service, Bergey joined the Huntington

Beach Police Department in June 1934.

Police Chief George Gelzer hired Bergey as a patrolman, at a salary of

$150 a month.

From 1934 to 1935, Bergey was both a police officer and a town constable.

In 1935 the city gave him $5 raise.

One of his duties was to check the doors of downtown merchants at night

with fellow patrolman Gene Belshe.

During World War II he patrolled the “home front” and after the war was

over he patrolled the beach on horseback, riding his horse, Lucky.

In June of 1950, Chief Ben Dulaney made Bergey sergeant.

Bergey married Adele and they had two children, a son and a daughter. The

family lived at 305 8th St.

Bergey retired from the police department at 65, on June 30, 1953.

He then went to work as Orange County’s first deputy constable under

Charles Derigo for the West Orange County area.

Bergey left Surf City for Sun City. On April 7, 1970, he passed away

there.

Bergey gave Huntington Beach a lot of good memories, including one of the

man sitting tall on his horse, riding along the surf.

JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach resident.

If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box 7182,

Huntington Beach, CA 92615.