Editor’s note: Former Sheriff Bill Kolender’s death at the age of 80 was announced on Tuesday, Oct. 6, by San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, whose own career in many ways followed Kolender’s. He was the first Jewish police chief of San Diego. Zimmerman, also a Jew, was the first female police chief of San Diego. In this article, the former regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, Morris Casuto, remembers Kolender, who later in his career was elected as San Diego County Sheriff.
By Morris Casuto
SAN DIEGO — Bill Kolender was a friend of mine almost from the first moment we met. I had just arrived from Indianapolis to open the ADL’s first office in San Diego. Trying to figure out the maze of people I had to meet I asked numerous people with whom I should begin. Almost everyone said the same thing to me-go see Bill Kolender.Our first meeting began with a simple question from Bill-“what can I do to help you establish yourself?” With Bill shepherding me doors opened throughout the county.
Bill was a proud Jew and repeated the story of his father’s angst in learning that Bill was to become a police officer. As Bill told it-his father’s angst turned to pride as Bill rose through the ranks eventually to become chief. Everywhere I travelled, whether I was lecturing for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, California Post or during the 24 years I spent teaching the hate crimes class at the academy Bill’s name was magic. He was known everywhere I went and was referred to with respect-except for some of the jokes he would tell numerous times. He was a giant in the law enforcement community. His support and encouragement allowed San Diego to develop an approach to dealing with haters and hate groups that was emulated in other parts of the county and country.
Bill was a lover of American and Jewish values and a fierce defender of our freedoms. He believed no one had a free ride. This is my love song for a wonderful Jewish American leader. As Robert Ingersoll wrote of another,” If everyone for whom he had a cheery smile, helping hand, for whom he did some kindly deed , were to place a blossom on his grave, he would sleep today under a wilderness of flowers.” Sleep well my friend, the hundreds of those you have trained have picked up your baton. Sleep well through eternity with no pain, in peace. You have fought the good fight. We will miss you.
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Casuto, now retired, lives in San Diego.
David Amos remembers: Back in the 1970’s when Kolender was chief of Police, We happened to be seated at a Jewish organization’s banquet, next to him and his wife. During those times, there was the hot controversy of nudists wanting to take full advantage of Black’s Beach, while the S.D. Police, caught in the middle, needed to enforce the city’s ordinance of prohibiting such an exhibition.
A confrontation between nudists and the police was scheduled for a week later. I asked Chief Kolender during the banquet, what was likely to happen that day. He answered to me, “I hope it rains that day!”
Don Harrison remembers: Kolender liked to tell the story of a tense meeting with black militants back when he was in the community relations department. Some people called him “fuzz,” “the man” and similar euphemisms, but Kolender took it in stride. When someone else called him a “pig,” Kolender pretended to stiffen. “That,” he declared, “is not a nice thing to call a Jewish boy!” There was a moment of silence, and then the people started laughing, not at Kolender, but with him. And the tension dissipated.
Charles Wax remembers: Bill Kolender used to play tennis with my father, Morris Wax. He was a decent tennis player and even though he smoked he had decent stamina. His strokes weren’t super smooth but he was a hustler. He also was always at my dad’s Super Bowl parties and was one of the friendliest people to all the guests. Always had a smile and always asking about the other person. He always enjoyed winning a raffle prize from WAXIE.