State Park Peace Officer Steve Bier

Here is Steve. 

Steve had a great sense of humor and a tremendous love and dedication to the desert of Southern California.  He was knowledgeable about the desert flora, worked with volunteers, and lead the annual count of Desert Bighorn Sheep.  “He was everywhere,” said Ernie Cowan, the president of the Anza-Borrego Foundation.  “He had an incredible breadth of knowledge about things in the park and an amazing dedication.  He would spend time during his days off doing what he did every day as a ranger.”

In California, there are two series of state park peace officer, the park ranger and lifeguard.  Each is a POST-certified police officer with statewide authority.  Most people undervalue the park officer, but these servants perform public safety duties, conduct patrols of vast wildlands, perform search and rescue, manage crime scenes, conduct investigations, and much more. 

Steve was dedicated in every way to the protection and preservation of natural resources for future generations.  “He was unique individual,” Cowan said.  “He was larger than life in many ways.” 

On 29 March 2018, Steve Bier was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  He left behind a wife, also a park officer, and a son. 

This year, I also ride for Steve. Please help me honor him here.

Patrolman Max Scherzer

This is Max.

Since he was a kid, Max had wanted to be a police officer.  He wanted to help people.  Max worked out at the gym and, because of his gregarious personality, he was well liked and well known.  He would eventually meet a young woman who was a neighbor in his condo complex.  And, as April, his wife, would put it, they "fell madly in love.  We never spent a day apart."

He was funny.  April told me that one time he screamed “like a girl” because he stepped on a rabbit in a field in the middle of the night as he and other officers were searching for someone.  I can only imagine the mileage that story got among his friends.  Max was a practical joker as well.  He listed a live monkey for sale on Craigslist and used another officer's number as the contact.  While on the job, Max would let his arrestee's sometimes chose the music they wanted to hear as he transported them to jail. 

Max prided himself on integrity and strong morals.  So, it was crushing to him when he was arrested for DUI after wrecking into a street sign.  One of his lieutenants picked him up and dropped Max off in his driveway at 2:30 AM.  He was devastated. 

On 21 August 2016, Max Scherzer shot himself in the head.  He was a husband.  A father of 4 month old twins. 

This year, I ride for Max.  Please help me honor him here.