When you meet Jim Gauderman, the first thing you notice isn’t the crisp white Volunteer in Police Services uniform shirt or the radio clipped to his belt—it’s the humility in his smile. Behind that smile, however, is a story of extraordinary service, resilience, and love for both country and community.
This month, the Seal Beach Police Department recognized Jim for reaching a remarkable milestone: 11,000 hours of volunteer service. That’s the equivalent of more than five full years of full-time work – given freely, without pay, and with a heart full of purpose.
A lifetime of service
Jim’s commitment to service began long before he donned a Seal Beach uniform. Born in Carroll, Iowa, his father was a shipbuilder during World War II. After the war, the family relocated to Eugene, Oregon, where Jim graduated from St. Francis Catholic High School in 1959.
In 1960, at just 18 years old, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Navy, beginning a journey that would take him across oceans and into the pages of American history. After completing boot camp and electronics school, he became an Interior Communications Electrician and 3rd Class Petty Officer aboard the USS Ingersoll (DD-652), a World War II destroyer.
“I spent most of my deployment underwater,” Jim recalled with a laugh, “destroyers only sit about 10 feet above sea level.”
Jim served two tours in the Western Pacific, including time in the Tonkin Gulf before the Vietnam War officially began – a group affectionately known as the “Tonkin Yacht Club.” During the Cuban Missile Crisis, his ship escorted one of the largest contingents of naval vessels ever to pass through the Panama Canal. “JFK was my boss,” he said proudly.
Love, loss, and new purpose
In 1962, while his ship was in dry dock in Long Beach, Jim met Wendy, the woman who would become the love of his life. After a six-month courtship, they married that December and built a life together that spanned five decades. They raised two sons, welcomed seven grandchildren, and now have two great-grandchildren.
When Wendy passed away in 2011 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis, Jim struggled to find his footing. “I started road cycling to deal with the grief,” he said. “One day I was walking my bike down the Seal Beach Pier and saw a woman in a white VIPS uniform. I asked her what it was, and two weeks later I was in the academy.”
That woman was Sukie Salaya, another long time Seal Beach VIPS volunteer, and that moment changed the course of Jim’s retirement.
A volunteer’s journey
New VIPS members start in gray polo shirts and must serve 300 hours before earning their white uniform shirts – a milestone Jim reached in just three months by logging 100 hours a month. Over the next 15 years, he would contribute 11,000 hours to the Seal Beach Police Department and an additional 7,000 hours volunteering aboard the USS Iowa in San Pedro – where he began on Veterans Day 2012.
Jim started his service at the Police Substation at the base of the pier, greeting visitors, answering questions, and assisting with lost property. Later, he transitioned to the Fleet Management Team, responsible for maintaining police vehicles. When his supervisor, Don Bright, had to step down due to health reasons, Jim stepped up and has led the program ever since.
Perseverance through adversity
What makes Jim’s 11,000 hours even more remarkable is what he’s overcome along the way. In recent years, he’s battled prostate cancer, Bell’s palsy, a debilitating nerve impingement in his brain, and severe facial skin cancer – medical challenges that sidelined him for months at a time. Each time, he returned to serve.
“To me, it’s not volunteering, it’s a job,” Jim said. “I love working for the police department and with the officers here. And now I know what it’s like to be a police officer. If I had to do it all over again, I would’ve been a police officer. You all are like family, and we just want to make sure you have everything you need in your cars to stay safe.”
The heart of a community
Today, at 84 years old, Jim continues to serve as the VIPS Fleet supervisor, overseeing vehicle maintenance and ensuring patrol cars are ready for duty. His goal is to “retire” from the Seal Beach Police Department after 20 years of volunteer service.
The Seal Beach VIPS program currently includes about 50 active members who contributed 16,218 hours in 2024 alone – the equivalent of nearly eight full-time positions. They handle patrols, assist at community events, support administrative tasks, and staff the Police Substation. For Jim, though, the math has never mattered. “It’s about helping people,” he said simply.
As Seal Beach celebrates Veterans Day, the community honors volunteers like Jim Gauderman whose life of service reminds us that duty doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. Sometimes, it just changes color.
Interested in volunteering?
To learn more about the Seal Beach Police Department’s Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) program, visit www.sealbeachpd.com/vips.
