OUR LAGUNA: Many stories from 35 years on the force

Police Capt. Danell Adams’ retirement party was a celebration and a send-off.

Adams’ friends, family and admirers honored her 35 years of service to Laguna and wished her well as she moves into to a new phase in a life already full of “firsts.”

Guests dined on an elegant buffet while cruising Newport Harbor on a posh party boat and exchanging stories of their experiences with Adams.

“I so appreciate that each of you chose to share this very special evening with me,” Adams said. “As I move on to new challenges and adventures, know that I take with me your special friendship and love.”

Retired Laguna Beach Director of Public Safety and Police Chief Neil Purcell and Tyler Murray served as emcees for presentations and recollections. Some guests came quite a distance to stroll down memory lane.

Martha Collison, who served on the City Council from 1984 to 1992, came from Colorado.

“I talked to a lot of Danell’s friends, and we swapped stories,” Collison said. “We decided we couldn’t tell them.

“But I am happy she could retire at an early age and enjoy her new passion for horses.”

Adams owns a small horse ranch where she trains Peruvian Paso show horses, one of which she rode in the 2008 Rose Bowl Parade and another one she rode Saturday in the Patriots Day Parade, taking the President’s Award.

Purcell came from his ranch in Montana to participate. Adams regards him as her mentor “” even though after all these years he still sometimes calls her Danielle, his daughter’s name.

“I would like to say that as a chief, I couldn’t have had anyone more loyal to me,” Purcell said.

That didn’t mean they always got along on the job. Adams didn’t like the female officers having to wear hats and uniforms designed for men and she wasn’t shy about making her opinions known “” and eventually had her way. But it was Purcell whom Adams wanted to present her retirement badge.

“Without him, there is no way I would be standing here as captain,” Adams said. “When he put me on a motorcycle, he took a lot of heat. It was the same with the promotions. He gave me the ability to do that for others.”

Shared memories spanned the years.

Amy Ishmael, sister of retired Lt. Jim White, who also grew up in town, recalled partying with Adams before she married Sgt. Lance Ishmael. Lance has known Adams for 35 years.

“I was her sergeant, then for a while we were sergeants together and then she was my boss,” Ishmael said.

Ishmael retired 11 years ago and now serves as the Orange County Sheriff’s range master.

Retired Sgt. Ray Lardie was missing due to illness “” and missed.

“She was the best partner I had in 26 years,” veteran Motorcycle Officer Robert Van Gorder said.

Sgt. Darin Lenyi has worked for the last four years as detective sergeant under Adams’ command.

“She has been loyal to the city, and the people who worked with her,” Lenyi said.

Lenyi presented Adams with a plaque that included badges of all the ranks she held.

“I’d like to talk about Danell and her purposeful walk,” said Training and Recruitment Sgt. Greg Walloch.

“We had a shooting and I was on the scene “” yelling “” and I looked up and across the street came that purposeful walk. ‘I have control of the scene,’ she said into her radio. From the rank and file standpoint: Yes!”

Det. Deb Kelso remembers being a patrol officer years ago and failing to break up a rowdy party and hiding in the closet when Adams showed up.

City Planner Carolyn Martin came to know Adams under difficult circumstances.

“Danell’s family lost their home in the 1993 fire, and I was doing fire rebuilds “” that’s how I got to know her,” Martin said.

Retired Laguna Beach Unified School District Supt. Theresa Daum was among the announced guest speakers.

“I was fortunate to be superintendent until last year,” Daum said. “I was lucky because Danell was there the whole time I was there. She cared about the kids. She came when I called. We love you.”

Assistant Supervisor Darren Reed presented Adams with a Laguna Beach High School letter jacket.

Family members also spoke.

“You enhanced my life,” said sister-in-law Deena Flynn. Lori Hollis, one of Adams’ triplet siblings, along with Michael and Tommy, said her big sister was always her hero. Also on board: brother Dana, sisters-in-law Myrna and Cindy and Austin Murray.

City Manager Ken Frank was among the speakers.

“Danell had a number of firsts, but she’ll be remembered most by many for the second Bluebird Canyon slide when she was the voice and face of Laguna to the public around the state and the county,” Frank said.

Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Kinsman, who worked with Adams on the school district Drug Task Force, and Councilman Kelly Boyd also represented the city.

“Danell grew up in Laguna like I did,” Councilman Boyd said. “She was in the police department when I was on the council in 1978-’82 and we have stayed in touch over the years, on a personal and business level.

“She’s old-school Laguna, and we are slowly losing them, and that’s a shame. The ones here tonight are the true Laguna Beach police officers. They gave their hearts and souls to Laguna.

“This is a sad day for me. God bless you, and thank you for all you did for the city. “

Kinsman presented Adams with the traditional plaque depicting the Lifeguard Tower at Main Beach. Appropriate. That’s where her career with the city began, but who knew. For sure, not Adams.

In the spring of 1973, she began training as the first beach patrol. The next year she graduated with honors from Cal State Long Beach with teaching credentials and absolutely no intention of becoming a police officer, but she’d had a taste of law enforcement and decided to become a reserve officer.

In August of 1975, she was asked by the police chief if she would like to become a full-time officer. She accepted the job, believing it to be temporary. Three days later she was in full uniform, patrolling the streets of Laguna with a training officer.

She served as juvenile detective in 1979, burglary detective in 1981, training officer in 1982 and then in 1983, Purcell put her on a motorcycle “” the first woman motor officer in California, and maybe the country. She was named department Officer of the Year.

Adams was promoted to sergeant in 1985 and to lieutenant in 1995 “” Laguna’s first female command officer “” and to captain in 2000.

Along the way, she picked up her master’s degree and graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. in 2001.

Honors include numerous department medals and the Ribbon of Commendation for a major Internet-predator sting operation in 2006.

The Laguna Beach branch of the American Assn. of University Women named her a Woman of Distinction in 2001.

OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 22 in the Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321 or fax (949) 494-8979.