Officers show real mettle

They may not get quite the publicity of their Olympic counterparts,

but Newport-Mesa participants in the California Police and Fire Games

and the International Police and Fire Games still have plenty of

mettle. Err, medal. Well, you get the drift.

Costa Mesa Police officers Dan Miles and Victor Bakkila brought

home medals from the California games -- where 6,000 athletes

competed in about 60 events -- and Newport Beach Police officer Brad

Aubuchon brought home gold from the international event.

That's an impressive display of fortitude and athletic ability. It

also suggests to us that there are at least three members of our

local law enforcement whom criminals would be smart to avoid. Being

in that kind of shape, those three would be hard to outrun.