For the most part, city police chiefs are not directly involved in the hands-on part of public safety.  But, like how to ride a bike or reciting Miranda rights, there are some things you never forget from your days on patrol.  Recently in Anaheim, CA three window-washers were left hanging off the side of an office building when their basket came free of its’ moorings.  Clinging to anything they could hold on to, all they could do was pray and wait for police and fire to arrive and rescue them.

Among the officers on scene who physically pulled the two of them to safety was Anaheim Police Chief John Welter.
"I looked out the window and saw these guys dangling from the building. I went out to help some of my officers who had already responded," Welter told reporters after then incident had played out.
Welter isn’t exactly an “ivory-tower”-type boss. In fact, he’s known to cruise the city on a police motorcycle handing out traffic tickets. His response to the incident began when he witnessed the emergency unfolding from police headquarters, across the street from the scene, as he was getting ready to roll out on traffic patrol.
"Those guys are studs,” he said. “They did all the heavy lifting. All I did was help pull the workers onto the roof."