Don Persson, a retired Renton deputy police chief, is nothing if not law-abiding.

So, when a volunteer firefighter told Persson about 20 years ago that his fire pit was illegal, Persson took him seriously. Long before he became known far and wide as a cook, Persson would barbecue up meals for his family at their summer place on Lake Cushman.

From that pit came a brick-lined barbecue and then finally a barbecue trailer – and untold servings of salmon, hot dogs and hamburgers served up to fellow police officers and at community events, including the Renton Citizen of the Year banquet.

Persson, 67, hasn’t done all this alone. He and his business partner Larry Sleeth formed Don and Larry’s Babecue Catering. This Saturday, they are helping The Vino at The Landing say thanks to the wine shop’s customers.

Persson is perhaps best-known (or best-loved) for his regular barbecues he put on for the Renton Police Department. He rose through the police ranks, retiring as deputy chief. Those barbecues go back to 1989 or 1990.

The “then” photo with this story was taken in the summer of 1993, possibly at one of those picnics, when Persson was a police captain.

“They used to look forward to it,” Persson said of his co-workers. He still gets asked occasionally why those particular barbecues stopped.

His answer to that question asked recently: “I don’t know why.”

The “big barbecues” go back to the early 1990s, too, when Persson was in charge of the DARE program. He would pull down the barbecue trailer and serve up a meal for everyone involved.

There was a time when the City of Renton couldn’t find someone to provide food for the Thursday Kids’ Day during Renton River Days. He would step in again.

But it’s not like he and Sleeth haven’t been busy since then. Along with their business, they also donate their time.

He has served several hundred people during Senior Day at Renton River Days and a couple hundred people for Renton Rotary wine tastings.

He and Sleeth have donated their time to the Renton History Museum for an annual meeting and for a fundraiser.

“Salmon is most likely our big specialty,” Persson said.

They grill it face down over an open fire to get the flavor of the smoke, then turn it over so it gets more smoke. Then they put the salmon in a pan with sauce made of garlic and “all that good stuff.”

Twice they’ve barbecued for the visiting delegation from Nishiwaki, Japan, Renton’s sister city.

“We did a good old-fasioned hamburger barbecue with baked beans and chips to give them an American dinner,” he said.