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PCSO 20-year veteran takes top honors in Cowboy Action Shooting
Received from Pinal County Sheriff's Office
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Gold Canyon, AZ -- In a sheriff’s office with 212 sworn deputies covering an area of 5,374 square miles, only a handful have served citizens for over 20 years; even fewer have plans to keep going.
“I love the job,” said Sergeant Lonnie Buckels, sitting at his desk on the second floor the PCSO Gold Canyon substation. “I tell people if you love your job, you won’t work a day in your life; so I haven’t worked in 20 years.”
A lot has changed during his career, which began in 1991. Pinal County is now one the fastest growing counties in the nation, more than doubling in total population in the past 10 years from 179,727 in 2000, to 375,770 in 2010.
Buckles, who will turn 57 this year, claims he hasn’t lost a step; one doesn’t have to look any further than his office wall to verify his claim.
Numerous regional and national awards in the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting bear his name.
“My first match was in 2007. I like guns anyway, especially lever action, but one of the big draws is the fact that both my wife and I can costume up,” Buckels said.
The sport truly challenges participants to ‘cowboy up’, from the required vintage clothing to using weapons like a 1911 semi-automatic pistol for target shooting. “It keeps my skills as a law enforcement officer sharp,” Buckels stated.
During the past five years of competitive shooting in the category of Wild Bunch Action, Buckels has finished top 10 in both the nation and the world. Most recently, he took home 1st place honors at California’s Western Regional held at the Double R Ranch in November.
Buckels officially qualified for full retirement from the Sheriff's Department on Veteran’s Day 2011, but has no plans of turning in his badge. “I knew after the first two days of the academy I would go 25 years,” he said.
And the Sheriff’s Office is happy to keep him around.
“Lonnie truly exemplifies service before self,” Sheriff Paul Babeu said, “Members of law enforcement are called to serve and protect and to see Sgt. Buckels continue to selflessly answer the call each day shows his commitment to this agency and the citizens he’s sworn an oath to defend. We’re lucky to have him and look forward to keeping him with PCSO as long as we can…or his wife will allow.”
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Major Photography / CopaNews.com
Sgt. Buckles is seen here "costumed up" and in action.
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