L to R: Jeff, Mario, Ralph and Jim smoke a nice cigar to celebrate Mario's Retirement last week -- at lunch break |
This year, on December 29, Mario and I will celebrate
twenty-nine years of marriage. The only
relationship that Mario has sustained longer than this one is with the State of
California – for which he has worked 35 years.
Now this relationship is about to change – Mario is retiring.
After we found places to store the personal boxes in our garage, we hugged.
“I don’t know how to feel,” Mario sighed. “I have so many mixed emotions.”
I nodded. When others
would be jumping up and fist pumping the sky, Mario is entering retirement more
than a little conflicted. On one hand,
retiring makes perfect financial sense and provides Mario with the freedom to
teach in a police academy or community college.
He can serve as a subject matter expert without
a conflict of interest or bias. Yet, on
the other hand, Mario will miss POST. Changes in life bring all kinds of unanswered questions.
Saturday morning brought an unlikely one: “What am I
going to do now?”
I almost laughed. Mario does not exactly sit still. He is purposeful and driven in everything he does. He has worked hard to achieve the level of mastery and
expertise that he has now. He has pioneered new things, developed as an
employee and as an employer, and learned how to lead during turbulent
times.
When we left for South Africa in 2007, he really thought he
was retired for good. We were blessed
enough to have a chance at fulfilling a dream to move to South Africa and work
for God, joining a team that supported existing churches all over Africa. We also joined forces with a local church in
Johannesburg that became our church home for seven years.
Preaching in Mozambique - 2008 |
When we realized that we were returning to the United States
in 2013, Mario was asked to return to POST and serve as a retired annuitant. He
appreciated the return, especially in the aftermath of a life change,
transitioning from one continent to another; moving from full-time ministry
back into his chosen profession of law enforcement. After some thought, he officially
“un-retired” and continued on as if he never left.
Mario with the "Road Warriors" from the TDC Bureau |
For the last eighteen months, Mario has worked as a Bureau
Chief for Learning Technology Resources at POST, a job
he takes very seriously. Supervising the
bureau that develops and applies technology to law enforcement training, Mario
comes home raving about his employees. Much
of his work has been building teams, or supporting existing ones. Even when he’s working by himself he strives
to bring people together –or recognize their talents. What has made him successful in ministry has
also made him successful in the workplace.
It is also what has made him successful as a person.
LTR celebrates 90,000 on the Learning Portal L to R: Jan M., Mario, Catherine, Jan B., Larry, Trish, Rich, and Ron. |
Ranger Rodriguez - After Graduation 1977 |
In this climate of political uncertainty,
and with a public perception of police being so mixed, leadership is incredibly
important. Mario is an exceptional
leader –and I’m not saying this just because I’m his wife. I actually used to
work for him, when he was the supervising Ranger of Carnegie SVRA and I was a
lowly Park Aid. I remember feeling safe
with him. His leadership was solid and
authoritative, but contained a humility that was extremely comforting.
Mario's Fist POST Portrait. Handsome! |
To this day, I still see Mario as my boss – my leader. I am
an avowed feminist, but there is nothing that makes me feel better than the
leadership of a man who knows what he is doing. Today, when he came home, I looked in his
eyes and felt such pride and so much sympathy for his conflicted heart – at the
same time.
“Why don’t you lay down?” I answered, after he asked me his
question. “Rest first and then later you can sort all this stuff out.”
I sometimes I say pretty wise things without even meaning to.
I love you, Babe! xoxo
The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training(POST) leads the nation in Training and Development. It was established by the Legislature in 1959
to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement.
The POST organization, with more than 130 staff members, functions under the
direction of an Executive Director appointed by the Commission. Click here to see their website. If you look you will find him as a Bureau Chief -until October 18th, when
he will be removed.
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