Gary and I had been friends for a very long time. I first met Gary when he was a Paramedic with San Luis Ambulance Co. He then went to work for SLO PD. I've worked many Coroner cases with Him while I was Coroner. He was always very professional and helpful to the family members. He definitely was an asset for the San Luis Obispo Police Dept. 
Gary, I thank you for your friendship over the years. RIP my friend.

Gary was a great friend and he was a good man and brother officer and he was the consumate professional police officer.  He is missed 😢

Wilde Memories #4

"I held the record for the longest pursuit in the department. I chased 2 suspects at 2am in the morning who had just escaped from the mental institution and had stolen a car. We went from SLO to Oxnard in an hour and 20 min. That trip usually takes over 2 hours to complete. Speeds were 110-115 MPH. On my way back, I decided to hit the yelper & siren on going through the Gaviota tunnel. I knew I would never have the opportunity again. BOY did it echo!
I remember the floods of 1969 & 1971. Cars were floating off the dealership lots. Everyone was called in to work double shifts because we were so short-handed. What a mess! I had water going over the hood of my patrol car. I couldn’t respond to some of the neighborhoods because of all of the water. 
I worked 2 plane crashes in my career. One private charter and one commercial. In 1982, I responded to a burglary in progress call at night in the pouring rain. As I walked along the roof, it collapsed and I fell 30 ft. into the interior of the furniture store. 1 year and 1 back surgery later, I was back to work and never missed a day of work due to that injury. 
From 1992-1998 I was senior police officer and was given police badge #1. My motto, “When you are #1, you have more fun!”
In 1997, I was again injured on the job that lead to my medical retirement in 1998 during my 31st year on the force. 
Some of my favorite memories were when my daughter could ride along with me when she was 16. One year on Halloween night, I decided to take her through the cemetery and had planned to give her a tour of the mausoleum which had tall squeaky doors. It was 3 am. As I was shining my spotlight on the mausoleum doors, the whole electrical system on the police unit died. Christie looked at me and said,” Dad this isn’t funny. Knock it off!” I told her I didn’t do it! I hadn’t. It was just a fluke that it happened when it did. We had no radio, no lights and we had to go back to the PD and switch vehicles. We had many laughs!

Wilde Memories #3

"One evening we had a call where we were looking for some individuals. I drove up to the top of a hill, into some brush overlooking some fields. As I came down the hill, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw several hills on fire. My catalytic converter overheated and caught the brush on fire. Needless to say my Lt was not happy with me. I had to call in the FD for a full response.  
Another time there was a major injury accident on the Madonna Rd. overpass. Now when I laid out a flare pattern, I made sure everyone could see it. It used to look like Christmas! When you go to put the flares out, you just flip them and they hit the ground and go out. Well, one of them was a hot little sucker and I flipped it further than I thought. I didn’t realize where it went until I looked over the railing and saw a 10 ft. ring of fire with the flare in the middle. I ended up burning the whole off ramp. When the FD arrived, I blamed it on a rookie. 
Same summer I was where I was on the freeway to assist the CHP with a traffic accident. Yep, you guessed it! I laid out one of my famous flare patterns. As some of the truckers drove by, unbeknownst to me, some of my flares were blown into the shoulder. When I finally turned around, there were 4 separate fires going. Who knew ice plant burned? I reluctantly called the FD where upon their arrival they just shook their heads and said “it’s Wilde Fire Again”. I say, I was just assisting them with thorough wildfire training.
After that, I created the position of being the Public Liaison Officer between the PD & FD. This helped build the working relationship between the 2 agencies. One time the FD invited me over to the firehouse for a birthday. While I was there, some of the staff secretly tied a 75 ft. hose to the back of my patrol unit. I didn’t notice it until I returned to the police station after driving through town. The FD laughed about that for months. "

Wilde Memories #2

"I made detective in 2 years (which typically took 5 yrs.) and in 1972, I chose to work PT on my days off at the ambulance from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. I just couldn’t stay away from the red lights and sirens. My partner and I were nicknamed the ‘Gruesome Twosome’ because we always got the gory calls.  We always followed those calls by having a good meal. I was a detective for 1 year and asked to be transferred back into patrol because that was where the action was. 
I became a FTO for 3 yrs. I only had one week during that entire time where I worked by myself. The rest of the time, I always had a trainee. I trained numerous officers, but 2 of the officers I trained had a 30 year career with the PD. I’m also proud of the fact that in 31 years I didn’t have to fire my gun. 
After Ray retired, my best friend on the job was Jim Hayes. We worked the same shift, the same days and the same areas for many years. He was notorious for saying on calls, “You go in first Gary, because you’re bigger. I will be right behind you.” 
Another dear friend and fellow officer, Pete Hubbard and I had many shenanigans. One time when Pete was a detective, he was on the phone with a suspect who was confessing to everything. I needed to speak with Pete and had to wait for him to get off the phone. So while I waited, I got a sharpie pen and drew a big smiley face on top of Pete’s bald head. There was nothing Pete could do… 
Pete and I used to drive the same patrol unit. We just drove it on different shifts. So one day Pete went and got powdered donuts at the end of his shift right before I was coming on. He proceeded to leave powder from the donuts all over the driver’s seat of the patrol car, knowing that I would have a clean uniform on when I got into the vehicle. He got me! I went looking for him and when I found him he was laughing in hysterics. Payback! "

Dad wanted some of his stories shared for those who may have 'forgotten' some of the good times. I sat down with him last year and documented them as he spoke. It is too long to put in one area, so look for the additional posts to continue the walk down memory lane.  
Please feel free to share any funny memories that you may have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
" When I was younger, I used to ride along with my father when he worked for the Sheriff’s Dept. I learned all of the radio codes and got really interested in becoming a police officer. So in November of 1967, I walked into the PD and was handed an application by Ray Barba, who would eventually became my best friend on the job until he retired. Years later, Ray would say, “what was I thinking?!” 
I was finally hired at the PD and started my career on New Year’s Eve 1968. I was on the police department 2 years before ever actually going to the police academy in Riverside, CA. Back then, the first 2 months of being a police officer, ‘the rookie’ had to work the communications desk (dispatcher) on the midnight to 8am shift by themselves. There were no dispatchers at night. At that time, the police department and fire department were next to each other. I got to know the staff next door at the FD and would sometimes ‘fan’ the rivalry between the 2 agencies. The phone number for Greyhound bus station and the FD were very similar, so sometimes I would call the FD in the middle of the night asking for what time the Greyhound bus left for Los Angeles. If I was up, why shouldn’t they be awake too?
During my first year, I responded to an open door call at a church. My partner and I were walking up the sides of the church. As I made my way into the pulpit, ca-splash! I found myself up to my knees in the water of the baptismal. The water was so still with no reflection, you couldn’t see it. Some cuss words came to mind, but I refrained knowing where I was. I had just baptized myself while I was on duty."

Beth, I never really met Gary but only knew of him through your stories or face book comments.  I knew you loved him  and were very happy in your commitment.  So sorry to hear of his passing .

Gary mentored me toward the end of his career. He was a trusted and faithful partner. Whenever any of us asked for back-up, we could hear Gary throttling the engine of whatever iteration of police vehicle he was commanding. The brakes were often smoking when he arrived. God speed, Gary. You were a good man and served the community of SLO as a sacrificial servant.

Dear Beth, 
Barry and I heartbroken to read this. Gary was awesome. He had an amazing sense of humor. What a great man! You were the love of his life, Beth. 
Please know we wish we could give you a hug. We are thinking of you and Christie. May God wrap His loving arms around you and your family. 
Love,
Barry and Cindy

OBITUARY

Gary D. Wilde

September 26, 1945 – December 6, 2023

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