Photographs by Miguel Vasconcellos
Kim Raney and his wife, Stacy, have three adult children.
But the support runs deeper than advice on the job.
Kevin began his career with the Garden Grove Police
Department in 1976. After climbing the ranks from police
officer to sergeant, lieutenant and captain, he was promoted
to Deputy Chief in 2005. In January 2011, Kevin was
asked to fill the department’s highest position by becoming
Garden Grove’s 11th Chief of Police.
Kevin Raney tells the story of his family’s Christmas three
years ago.
Kevin, who graduated from the Police Officers Academy
at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, is credited
with initiating the opening of the Garden Grove Police
Department’s Juvenile Justice Center in 1998. The center is
a collaborative effort between the Police Department and
the Garden Grove Unified School District that focuses on
reaching at-risk youth at the earliest possible stage.
Being a police officer is a dangerous job, but the twins take
heart to a noble profession. “You’re a target just putting on
the uniform,” Kevin said.
Kevin Raney and his wife, Donna, have two sons, Bill and
John. Bill serves as a police sergeant for Irvine, and John is
a police officer for Garden Grove. “I’m just happy they got
into something they enjoy,” Kevin said of his sons.
Kevin says he turns to his brother for advice and assistance
often - and vice versa.
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Behind The Badge
His son had been in a horrible motorcycle accident about a
month earlier - and the prognosis was grim.
They spent Christmas Eve at Kim’s home, which was near
the hospital. That evening Kim received an emergency call.
A gunman dressed as Santa Claus had shot and killed nine
family members and set their home on fire. It was a day that
will live in infamy in Covina.
And it is one Kevin Raney won’t soon forget.
Kim spent Christmas Eve supporting his brother and
family, and Christmas Day supporting and reassuring his
community.
Before it was over - and despite not having slept for at least
30 hours - Kim stopped by the hospital to make sure his
nephew, who has since made a full recovery, and his brother,
were okay.
That’s the bond they share, Kevin says. •