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BREAKING STIGMAS AND BARRIERS. JEFF. JEFF F. RIGHT AFTER TEN LONG MONTHS. GRADUATION DAY HAS ARRIVED. DELTA COLLEGE IS A DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION. THE NEXT ROUND OF POLICE RECRUITS FROM SAN JOAQUIN DELTA COLLEGE, POST ACADEMY. 7524 BRITTNEY GRIGSBY ARE READY TO HIT THE STREETS. IT’S A TESTAMENT TO THEIR DEDICATION AND PASSION FOR THIS PROFESSION THAT THESE 32 GRADUATES ARE HERE TODAY. SOON, THESE NEW COPS WILL BE PART OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE STATE, WHICH INCLUDES THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC. I WAS IN SHOCK. I’M LIKE, I GOT TO MEET THIS GUY. GRANT BEDFORD IS THE UNIVERSITY’S POLICE CHIEF, AND HE’S SEEN HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS COME ACROSS HIS DESK. I GOT A LETTER, A SNAIL MAIL LETTER. BUT A YEAR AGO, HE GOT SOMETHING THAT HE’S NEVER SEEN BEFORE. DEAR CHIEF BEDFORD, I WRITE TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN A PART TIME POSITION AS AN OFFICER IN YOUR DEPARTMENT. YOU MAY DECIDE TO CRUMPLE THIS LETTER INTO A BALL AND TOSS IT INTO THE TRASH. WHEN YOU LEARN THAT I’M 77 YEARS OLD AND I’M LIKE, OKAY, I’M INTRIGUED, RIGHT? HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU COME ACROSS IN YOUR SIX YEARS? A SEVEN YEAR OLD APPLYING FOR EVER? WHO THINKS LIKE THAT? JOHN MAYER? YEAH, EXACTLY. THE PLAINTIFF HAS FILED OTHER FRAUDULENT FIRE INSURANCE CLAIMS. WHAT’S THE EVIDENCE? AS YOU’LL SEE. OKAY, SO THAT’S THE SCENARIO. AGE IS SIMPLY A NUMBER FOR JOHN MEYERS. SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TEACHING LAW FOR? SINCE 1983. IT’S A LONG TIME. BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. YOU’RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD. I’D SAY SO, TOO. AS I TOLD MY BOSS THE OTHER DAY, YOU EITHER HAVE TO FIRE ME OR HEAR ME OUT OF HERE ON THE STRETCHER BECAUSE I’M NOT LEAVING ON MY OWN. MEYERS TEACHES AT UC SAN FRANCISCO. LAW CONDUCT IN CONFORMITY WITH CHARACTER, WHICH WE KNOW YOU CAN’T DO. HIS SPECIALTIES ARE CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURES. NO, IT’S NOT. I’M 100% SURE THAT I REMAIN YOUNGER BECAUSE I’M HANGING OUT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE RATHER THAN A BUNCH OF OLD FOGIES, OF WHICH I’M ONE. I’M NOT HEARING ANYBODY INTENT TO DO WHAT. AND AT A TIME WHEN MOST HIS AGE ARE PUMPING THE BRAKES. MEYERS IS STILL IN LIFE. SPRINT. IN MY 50S, I WAS A KARATE INSTRUCTOR FOR 13 YEARS. WHEN I WAS IN MY 60S, I WAS A RACE CAR DRIVER FOR 16 YEARS. THAT WAS MY HOBBY. THIS IS MY DEFINITION OF ENJOYING LIFE. BUT AT 78, HE’S READY FOR HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET. THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE I’M GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. PERIOD. I MAY ALREADY BE TOO OLD TO DO IT, BUT I’M CERTAINLY CLOSE TO TOO OLD, SO I’VE GOT TO DO IT NOW OR NEVER. LAST YEAR, MEYERS ENROLLED IN THE POLICE ACADEMY, FELT IT WAS A CALLING HE’S HAD SINCE HE WAS A BOY. I’M ALMOST OUT OF TIME TO DO STUFF. I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO. THIS IS THE LAST THING ON MY BUCKET LIST. HOW MANY 77 YEAR OLDS HAVE YOU SEEN COME THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? NEVER. NOT ONCE. NOT ONE. HE WAS THE FIRST. HE WAS THE OLDEST PERSON TO EVER TRY SUCH A FEAT IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY. I WAS STUNNED AND INITIALLY FEARFUL. FEARFUL FOR HIM. I GUESS THE FIRST CLASS AT THE POLICE ACADEMY. WHAT YOU NOTICE, OF COURSE, IS HOW OLD YOU ARE BY COMPARISON. I MEAN, I’M OLD ENOUGH TO BE THE GRANDPA OF A LOT OF THEM. NOT THE FATHER, THE GRANDPA. THE DAYS WERE LONG. THE ACTIVITIES MADE THEM EVEN LONGER. THE BIGGEST INTIMIDATION FACTOR WAS, OF COURSE, THE PHYSICAL PART. THE PHYSICAL PART OF IT. SUSTAINED CONFRONTATION THAT HE HAS TO COMPLETE THE DRAG OF 165 POUND DUMMY, A 99 YARD OBSTACLE COURSE. AND IT’S PHYSICAL. SEEING SOMEONE AS OLD AS HE WAS, MY FEAR WENT INITIALLY TO THERE’S NO WAY HE’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT. I MEAN, I WAS ALWAYS TOWARD THE BACK OF ANY ANY RUNNING EXERCISE. NO ONE EVER QUESTIONED MEYERS WILL, AND THEY WOULD RUN YOU RAGGED. THOUGH PASSING WOULD BE A LONG SHOT. HE WAS SUCH A NICE PERSON THAT I WANTED HIM TO COMPLETE IT, AND I DIDN’T KNOW IF HE HAD IT IN HIM TO COMPLETE IT, GET IT, GET IT. COULD YOU IMAGINE GOING THROUGH IT AT 76? 77? NO, I DON’T KNOW THAT I’D HAVE THE ENERGY TO DO IT NOW. AND I’M ONLY 57. I THINK IT’S PRETTY GOOD. WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE GRADUATION FOR CLASS 5724. THERE YOU SEE A BUNCH OF YOUNG FACES. THE TRUE GRIT AWARD WINNER FOR CLASS 57. 24 IS JOHN MEYERS. AND THEN THERE’S ONE WHICH STANDS OUT FROM THE REST. AT THE END OF EACH SHIFT, WE WILL COME HOME TO YOU. THANK YOU. YOU CAN SEE IN HIM HE DOES EVERYTHING WITH 100%. HE DOESN’T DO ANYTHING HALFWAY. THIS IS MY SON, WILLIAM. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HE DOES IN HIS 80S. IS JOHN MAYER AN UNDERDOG? YES, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. NOT GIVING THAT UP. THAT’S THE FIRST. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, THERE’S ANOTHER FIRST HAPPENING IN STOCKTON, THE STATE’S OLDEST RECRUIT IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY HAS NOW BECOME THE OLDEST WORKING ROOKIE. FIRST DAY ON THE JOB AS A POLICE OFFICER ON MY BIRTHDAY. CAN’T BEAT THAT. THAT JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC. THAT SEEMED LIKE A FANTASY. PACIFIC 15. THE SUBJECT HAS LEFT CAMPUS. ACCORDING TO THE REPORTING, PARTY IS NOW VERY MUCH A REALITY. YOU CAN CALL THIS RETIREMENT IF YOU WANT, BUT IT’S NOT. WELL, IT’S MY VERSION OF RETIREMENT. FOR PHOTOJOURNALIST VICTOR NIETO ON CAMPUS IN FRONT OF NORTH HALL. OKAY, LET’S GO AHEAD AND START THAT WAY. JASON MARKS KCRA 3 NEWS AND OFFICER MEYERS CONTINUES TO TEACH WHEN SCHOOL’S IN SESSION. WELL, HE’S WORKING THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC. HE’S ALSO WRITTEN 15 BOOKS.