2010.11.07: November 7, 2010: Thailand RPCV Jeff Steel has been a Miami Springs police officer for about 21 years

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Thailand: Peace Corps Thailand: Peace Corps Thailand: Newest Stories: 2010.11.07: November 7, 2010: Thailand RPCV Jeff Steel has been a Miami Springs police officer for about 21 years

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Thailand RPCV Jeff Steel has been a Miami Springs police officer for about 21 years

Thailand RPCV Jeff Steel has been a Miami Springs police officer for about 21 years

Steel was an electrician and then he joined the Peace Corps and spent more than two years in Ecuador. That's where he learned Spanish. "Then I decided that I wanted to kick some butt and help take down the bad guys," said Steel. "I tried to join the Drug Enforcement Agency and Customs but there was a hiring freeze. Pete said I should try Virginia Gardens, and I did. I worked full time for VG and they put me through the police academy. And Springs hired me." The 59-year-old Steel was 38 when he decided to become a police officer, but he wanted a career that had a retirement plan and it has paid off. "I was hired at a time when a lot of police officers were getting shot in Dade County," said Steel. "I was in five police chases during my first week on the job. It was a lot of fun."

Thailand RPCV Jeff Steel has been a Miami Springs police officer for about 21 years

Officers retire from MSPD

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By WALLACE CLARK/Gazette Writer
River Cities Gazette

Two veteran Miami Springs police officers put in their years and have decided to retire. Det. Jeff Steel retired on Nov. 1 and Sgt. Dave Bechler's last day is Dec. 1.

Police Chief Pete Baan showed his appreciation for the longtime officers by paying for a barbecue luncheon under the covered area next to the fire department on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

Not only did the chief fund the food and drinks for police department personnel and city employees, he did all cooking on the fire department's grill. Det. Harry Mayer brought his deep fryer to turn out chicken wings.

Steel has been a Miami Springs police officer for about 21 years and until earlier this year he spent eight years as a member of HIDTA, a High Intensity Drug Trafficking unit made up of specialized officers from various municipalities in Miami-Dade County.

Steel is what might be called a "Springs boy," since he grew up in the city and met Baan when both youths were in the same Boy Scout troop. Before becoming a police officer, Steel was an electrician and then he joined the Peace Corps and spent more than two years in Ecuador. That's where he learned Spanish.

"Then I decided that I wanted to kick some butt and help take down the bad guys," said Steel. "I tried to join the Drug Enforcement Agency and Customs but there was a hiring freeze. Pete said I should try Virginia Gardens, and I did. I worked full time for VG and they put me through the police academy. And Springs hired me."

The 59-year-old Steel was 38 when he decided to become a police officer, but he wanted a career that had a retirement plan and it has paid off.

"I was hired at a time when a lot of police officers were getting shot in Dade County," said Steel. "I was in five police chases during my first week on the job. It was a lot of fun."

At first Steel was a patrol officer and was usually in the top two for making arrests for a few years and then he became a plain clothes detective. Then he was sent to HIDTA. Participating agencies share in the money recovered by the special unit and it goes into the department's Law Enforcement Trust Fund.

"It was tough coming back here," said Steel. "For eight years I dealt with federal laws and I had to re-learn state laws. I felt like a rookie. But I like getting to know the young guys who came here while I was gone. We have a lot of good officers."

Steel prefers to keep his personal life private because of the murderers he has helped put in jail. "A guy I put in prison last year is a multimillionaire and he has killed 11 people. You never know."

Steel said he plans to relax for a couple of months and look into doing corporate investigations. "Whatever I do, I don't want to carry a gun as part of my job."

Baan said, "I've known Jeff all my life, since I was 11. He's one of my best friends. We've worked and played together for about 46 years and we'll still do it."

When Steel was a rookie, Dave Bechler was one of his field training officers and now Bechler is retiring and moving far, far away. Thailand to be exact.

"The cost of living is less there and the climate is a lot like Florida," said Bechler. "I hope to stretch my retirement dollars so I don't have to work perse."

He visited the country for five weeks earlier this year and his Thailand connection is his wife's sister, who has lived there for 20 years working for missionaries as a teacher and counselor.

Bechler is father to nine children, five of whom were adopted. Three are still living at home. The sergeant took his wife and three kids along to check out Thailand.

"We lived as residents, not tourists," said Bechler. "I rode around on a motor scooter and shopped, cooked and did home repairs for people."

Bechler was a police officer in New Jersey for eight years before coming to Miami Springs where he has served for almost 30 years, seven as a sergeant.

His assignments on the force covered almost every position. "I was in a patrol car, motorcycle, detective, school resource officer and a community policing officer for the last few years," he said.

Baan said, "Dave has done a lot for the department above and beyond the call of duty. He's the go-to guy when it comes to grants, vehicle equipment installation and computers. He does stuff no one else can do or wants to do."




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: November, 2010; Peace Corps Thailand; Directory of Thailand RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Thailand RPCVs; Police; Florida





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Story Source: River Cities Gazette

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Thailand; Police

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