In Hollywood, movie producers create characters to star in their fast paced, action packed, police dramas. But where do these actors get their personas from? Could there be a real life Mel Gibson who puts his or her life on the line to protect the public?

You bet there is...everyday real life police officers put their lives on the line. Many of these officers go above and beyond the call of duty in order to fulfill the commitment of protecting and serving.

California Organization of Police and Sheriffs (COPS) Board Member Arnie Schmeling is one such officer who time and time again during the course of his career faced life threatening dangers and responded like a true hero. Arnie is a decorated officer, honored with many police awards.

Officer Arnie Schmeling was awarded the prestigious Police Officer Cross for Valor on May 19, 2003. The Long Beach Police Historical Society established the Police Officer Cross for Valor.

Officer Schmeling's Citation reads, "For demonstrating, a conspicuous valor and intrepidity at the risk of life, at times performed, above the call of duty. His personal valor and exceptional spirit of loyalty to his duty and his fellow officers in the face of dire threats to life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the police service. By his heroic devotion to go forward, he has undoubtedly saved the lives of innocent citizens and his fellow officers."

Arnie Schmeling is now a retired Long Beach police officer and we are proud to have him serve as the retired representative for the COPS Board of Directors. The following incidents are a few of the many great reasons for which he was honored:

Incident #1: Action at the Lido Ballroom

August 20, 1967

Officer Arnold Schmeling was working an off-duty job with Officer Max Baxter at the Lido Ballroom located on the Pike. The officers were employed to regulate admittance to the ballroom, deal with unruly individuals, and handle any other problems that might interfere with the maintaining of an orderly crowd.

Officer Baxter was working the door when an individual, after transferring an ultra violet stamp to his hand from a friend's hand, attempted to enter without paying. Officer Baxter refused this person admission. The individual became loudly combative and threatened Officer Baxter with physical harm.

Another individual informed the unruly subject that the person at the door was an off-duty police officer. The subject did not care who Officer Baxter was and challenged him, "if you think you're so tough, why don't we go outside and see who's tough?" Officer Baxter followed the subject outside.

As the encounter began, Officer Schmeling had moved to a position to better watch what was occurring. As the subject walked out with Officer Baxter behind him, a second subject quickly fell in behind Officer Baxter. Officer Schmeling saw this second suspect step-in behind Officer Baxter and just as quickly, in a moment without pause, unsheathes a hunting knife, drawing up the four inch blade as he stepped forward to drive the knife into Officer Baxter's back.

Officer Schmeling rushed forward, shoving people aside in order to get to the suspect. As the knife was driven toward Officer Baxter's back, Officer Schmeling charged the suspect tearing him away from the attack on Baxter and taking him violently to the ground where he subdued the would-be murderer. Officer Schmeling saved Max Baxter's life.

It was later learned that this murderous attack had been purposely planned to kill the officer. The suspect was charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a Police Officer. The incident was reported to the Police Department, but Officer Schmeling did not receive recognition for his actions because the Department, at the time, did not issue commendations for off-duty actions.

Incident #2: Action at Scottie's Bar

Officer Schmeling was working uniformed patrol with Officer Terry Cofield in the Central area of Long Beach when they received a dispatch call of an armed, psychopathic man who had fired shots in a bar and was holding hostages.

The bar was "Scotties" on Long Beach Boulevard, north of Willow Street. The officers arrived on scene and separated; Officer Schmeling went to the front entrance of the bar as Officer Cofield went to the rear entrance.

Officer Schmeling was standing near the closed front door when he heard a gun shot. Officer Schmeling did not know if the suspect had started shooting hostages, but he knew he had to act. Officer Schmeling "kicked-in the front door" and entered the bar, instantly placing himself in a 15-foot face-off with the suspect who fired a shot at Officer Schmeling, missing him. Officer Schmeling stood his ground and returned fire hitting the suspect four times. The suspect "went down" holding his gun. Not knowing if the suspect was still a threat, Officer Schmeling moved forward and kicked the gun out of the suspect's hand. All the patrons were unharmed. The Long Beach Police Department's Medal of Valor was awarded to Officer Schmeling for his actions during this incident.

Incident #3: Action at Stanton Place

A California Highway Patrolman stopped a subject who was wandering on foot along the freeway. The subject started to fight with the CHP officer and in the struggle wrestled the officer's weapon away from him. The suspect fired several shots at the officer as the officer dived to safety. The suspect, now armed with a six-inch revolver, stole the CHP unit and fled, southbound on the Long Beach Freeway, using red light and siren. The suspect exited eastbound Pacific Coast Highway forcing other vehicles off the road while being pursued by another CHP unit. Long Beach Police units received radio notification of the incident and joined the pursuit. The suspect crashed the CHP unit in the 1600 block of Stanton Place and then, using the shotgun in the unit, fired two shotgun blasts at arriving Long Beach Police units. The suspect dropped the shotgun and fled into an apartment where he took several people hostage. Officer Arnold Schmeling, who had just prepared for field duty after completing recruit instruction at the Academy, responded to the scene. While the command Post was being set up, the suspect fired more rounds from the apartment, and during that time the hostages escaped.

Officer Schmeling, who had formerly been a member of the SWAT Team, entered the apartment with the SWAT Team. When searching for the suspect, Officer Schmeling opened the door to, and entered a closet. Looking up at a crawl hole opening in the closet ceiling, Officer Schmeling saw the suspect pointing a cocked, six-inch barreled Colt Python directly at his (Officer Schmeling) head. Officer Schmeling tried to calm the suspect as he said, "Please don't shoot me I just want to talk to you." Officer Schmeling held up his hands to the suspect and spread his fingers, as he said, "Please don't kill me I just want to talk to you." He then removed his own gun from his holster and handed it to another officer who was out of the view of the suspect. The suspect said, "They're going to kill me." Schmeling replied, "No one wants to kill you." Officer Schmeling was approximately two feet from the large, muscularly built suspect who continued to point the cocked handgun at Officer Schmeling. With deft speed, Officer Schmeling reached to grab the suspect's weapon as the hammer of the weapon slammed down to fire, puncturing the flesh between forefinger and thumb on the officer's hand. Officer Schmeling, having prevented the gun from discharging, then disarmed the suspect and, without rearming himself, Officer Schmeling stood where he had stood before and continued to speak to the suspect. The suspect pleaded with Officer Schmeling, "Would you pray with me?" Schmeling said, "You bet." And there, culminating thirty minutes of an intensely dangerous standoff, Officer Schmeling repeated the Twenty-third Psalms with the suspect. The suspect told Officer Schmeling, "I'll go out, but only with you." Schmeling told him, "Climb down and we'll walk out like men. We're going to walk out like men. I'm not going to handcuff you." Officer Schmeling put his arm around the suspect's and walked him to his police car. Schmeling sat in the back seat with the un-handcuffed suspect as they rode to the police station. The suspect had been arrested without injury to anyone. For his actions in this incident, Officer Schmeling received the Long Beach Police Department's Meritorious Award Class A.

Incident #4: The Arson Incident

c. 1980's

While on uniformed patrol on Loma Avenue between Vista and Third Street, Officer Schmeling and his partner noticed a house that was on fire. Officer Schmeling jumped from his patrol car and rushed toward the house. Unhesitatingly, he entered the house to find a make subject on fire in his living room. The man was completely on fire and the area surrounding the man was engulfed.

Officer Schmeling reached into the fire to grab the burning man. The man fought Schmeling because he did not want to be saved. Officer Schmeling had to fight off the man while trying to drag him out of the burning house. Once they were out of the house and on the front lawn, Officer Schmeling repeatedly rolled the man over the grass until the fire was extinguished. The man suffered first and second degree burns. It was later learned that the man had doused himself with flammable fuels in an attempt to take his own life by fire.

Officer Schmeling had risked his life to save the life of another. A Long Beach Fire Department Arson Investigator filed a commendation for Officer Schmeling. No action was taken on the commendation.

Arnie Schmeling Long Beach Police Department legend Arnie Schmeling discusses why support for surivivors of peace officers who die in the line of duty is critical for cops and their families.

What Freedom Means Freedom at home and abroad is a result of the men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line for all of us. Support those committed to serving and protecting all of us. Please read this message from Arnie Schmeling, one of the most decorated police officers in the United States.