City Hall mourning the loss of longtime Police Services volunteer

Mission Viejo City Hall is mourning the loss of one its beloved volunteers Cliff McKinley who passed away this week at the age of 90.

Cliff was a longtime member of the City’s Senior Community Activity Team (SCAT), a program that assists Mission Viejo Police Services with everything from van patrol and home vacation checks to help at special events and City Hall.

He joined the team in 1991 after working nearly four decades as an inspector for the Department of Agriculture. During his 26 years as a Police Services volunteer, Cliff donated more than 10,000 hours of service to this community.  In fact, he was the only member of the team to log that many hours and was set – once again – to be recognized for his incredible feat.

“Cliff was admired for his strong work ethic and ‘can-do’ attitude,” said Crime Prevention Specialist Paula Monical.  “He was always the first call for other volunteers looking for a shift replacement; the first to cover any holes in the schedule; and one of the first volunteers to put his name on the list to help with special events and programs. He always went the extra mile in every role – whether on patrol, manning the reception desk or supporting the Parent Project program.”

But perhaps Cliff’s biggest impact on Mission Viejo was his work at the reception desk on the second floor at City Hall. Every Friday afternoon, Cliff, with warm eyes and a smile as big as Texas, was behind the counter happily greeting and helping visitors, fielding phone calls and chatting with staff members who walked by his desk. He was a remarkable man who never knew a stranger.     

“As the people who worked with him know, he never forgot a name, a face or a conversation,” Paula said. “He was a keen listener and remarkable storyteller who possessed a quick wit.  He was admired, appreciated and respected by the people he worked with and for.  His generous spirit, coupled with his unselfish contributions, will be long remembered.  City Hall on Fridays will be a different place without him.”