Historical

Historical Home Page

“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
― Winston S. Churchil

Welcome to the Historical page of the Southern California Chapter of APCO International – The California Public-Safety Radio Association (CPRA). View images and links to our history and service to the public safety community since 1935.

1945 – We Joined APCO!
1946 CPRA & NAPCO Joint Meeting
1947 CPRA Welcomes APCO Members to the first APCO Conference in Los Angeles
1947 Official Police Radio Code Book Created & Issued by the CPRA Chapter – Download Full Book Below
1963 CPRA & NAPCO Joint Meeting
1966 – The California Chapters Create the First APCO Western Region Conference in Palm Springs, CA
1968 Western Regional Conference Meeting – Chapter President Eddie Simon (Center)
1974 – Past Chapter President Eddie Simon – Chair of the 1974 APCO International Conference, San Diego, CA, Welcomes the Attendees to San Diego
1990 – Celebrating the Chapter’s 55th Anniversary at Pasadena, CA
2004 – California APCO Chapters Host The California APCO Training Conference – Ontario Convention Center, Ontario, CA
2007 – The Chapter Hosts the 2007 Western Regional Conference – Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA
2010 – Chapter Officers – Mike Rowles, Howard Newton, John Wright, Gary Poon, Dawn Lopez, Jim Acosta, Ken Shearen
2010 – September – Chapter 75th Anniversary Celebration – Special Event Amateur Radio QSO Card W6ID
2010 – Celebrating the Chapter’s 75th Anniversary at Camarillo Grove Park – (Back Row) Ken Mann, Joe Parrino, Gary David Gray, Richard Granado, John Wright, Don Root, Spence Leafdale – (Front Row) Gary Poon, Charles “Chuck” Taylor, Jim Acosta, Garrett Mayer, Jerry Campbell, John Sarkissian
2010 – Chapter Past Presidents Celebrate the Chapter’s 75th Anniversary at San Marcos, CA – Jerry Campbell, Gary David Gray, Donald Root, Joseph Parrino, Spence Leafdale, John Wright, Jim Acosta, Ernest Gallo, David Buchanan, Richard Granado, John Sarkissian, Ronald “Ron” Wong, Anna Holmes, Robert “Bob” Urbe, Kenneth Mann, Gary Poon
2011 – The Chapter Hosts the 2011 Western Regional Conference – Ontario Convention Center, Ontario, CA
2012 – Chapter Officers – Tim Trager, Scott Espindola, Don Miller, John Wright, Bill Carpenter, Adriana Spirescu, Jim Acosta
2012 – February 29 – March 2 – Chapter Members attend the 2012 APCO Western Regional Conference in Anchorage, Alaska
2012 – March 1st – APCO Western Regional Conference – Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage Alaska…. High Temp was 4 degrees – (Back Row) John Wright, Scott Espindola, Adriana Spirescu, Bill Carpenter – (Front Row) Gary David Gray (he was cold), Jim Acosta, Don Miller, David Buchanan
2012 – March 2 – (Silent Key) – Jack Daniel – KD6YVL – The Chapter’s Longest Serving Commercial Advisory Chair and Senior member of APCO. Jack was the “father” of the original APCO Western Regional Conference. He is the namesake for the APCO International “Jack Daniel Award of Distinction”
2012 – Chapter Members (Gary David Gray, Tim Trager, John Wright, Joseph Parrino, Don Miller) help support Past Chapter President (1996) John Wright for election to APCO 2nd Vice President at the APCO Annual Conference in Minneapolis, MN
2012 – CPRA & NAPCO Joint Meeting
2012 – September – “No Ties” Bar-B-Q Chapter Meeting at the Camarillo Grove Park – Larry Weber, Gary David Gray, John Sarkissian, David Buchanan, Anna Holmes, Ken Shearen
2013 – Feburary 15 – (Silent Key) – John “Jack” Keating – Chapter President (1991) & APCO International President (1998-1999) Jack served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 20 years and as the Director of the Public Safety Communications Department for the City of West Covina, California, for 24 years
2015 – Chapter Past Presidents Celebrate the Chapter’s 80th Anniversary – (Back) Ronald “Ron” Wong, Gary Poon, Bill Williams, David Buchanan, Richard Granado, Kenneth Mann, Ralph Blount, Charles “Chuck” Taylor, (Front) Adriana Spirescu, Anna Holmes, John Sarkissian, Timothy “Tim” Trager, John Wright, Gary David Gray, Ken Shearen, Jim Acosta, Don Miller, Joseph Parrino
2015 – APCO International President John Wright (Chapter Past President) meets with United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Washington DC
2016 – WRC Consortium Meeting – Past Chapter President Charles (Chuck) Taylor addresses the Consortium with our 2017 WRC Team (wearing the tropical shirts) – Ernest Gallo, Terri Nelson, Don Miller, Kenneth Mann, Joseph Parrino, Gary David Gray
2021 – December – Officer Installation – Gary David Gray Administering The Oath Of Office to Timothy Buchfeller, Terri Nelson, Dr. Pauline Soria, John Wright, Jeffery Loveland, Ernest Gallo, David Duenas
2022 – CPRA & NAPCO Joint Meeting
Annual CPRA & NAPCO Joint Dinner – A Great Opportunity To Network
2023- March 13 – (Silent Key) Ronald “Ron” Wong – W6ONG – Chapter Past President (2006) and APCO Senior Member, Ron was an Engineer & Division Manager for the County of Los Angeles. He was active in Frequency Coordination and Regional Planning.
2023 – April – Past APCO President John Wright (Left) & Past APCO President Gary David Gray (Right) – The Chapter Celebrates Gary’s 50 Years as an APCO Member
Public Safety Awards Banquet – Held Annually Since 1987
2023 – Awards Banquet Team – Ernesst Gallo, Adriana Spirescu, Tim Buchfeller, Robert Stoffel, Terri Nelson, John Wright
2023 – Awards Banquet – President Timothy Buchfeller (right) celebrates with some of the Award Winners
2023 – Awards Banquet – Gordon Graham (CHP Retired) and Past Chapter Presidents – Jim Acosta, Lynn Diebold, Spence Leafdale
2023 – Executive Meetings – Terri Nelson, Scott Espindola, Ron Dunn, Timothy Buchfeller, Dale Digiambattista
2024 – Chapter Officers – (Back) Ernest Gallo, Joseph Parrino, Jeffery loveland, Tim Buchfeller, Larry Weber, Ron Dunn, John Wright, Steve Goodwyn, Michael Notarstefano, Gary David Gray (Front) Adriana Spirescu, Tina Meyer, Terri Nelson, Dr. Pauline Soria, Amanda Garcia
2024 – July 3 – (Silent Key) – Garrett Mayer – Chapter President 1987 and APCO International Life Member. Garrett worked as the Information Technology Telecomm Chief for the County of Los Angeles.
President Terri Nelson & Exec Council Delegate Ernest Gallo