Archive for Saturday, June 28, 2008
Lawrence police captain retiring
Richard Rose, from left, a retired Lawrence police officer, and LaDonna Laing, a retired chief secretary of the Lawrence Police Department, chat with Capt. Dave Cobb during his retirement party Friday at Maceli's, 1031 N.H. Cobb is retiring after 33 years of working for the police force.
June 28, 2008
Advertisement
Lawrence police captain retiring
He started patrolling the streets of Lawrence when there were just a half-dozen police cars. Now - 33 years later - Lawrence police captain Dave Cobb turns in his badge. Enlarge video
When outgoing police Capt. Dave Cobb, first started patrolling the streets of Lawrence, it was a whole different time and place.
"There were six patrol cars, that's all we had," Cobb said, as he recalled his 33-year career. "We didn't even have handi-talkies. We had one big radio that looked like a phone you could check out."
Coming off a period of civil unrest, Cobb, 54, describes a time where police officers wore helmets and carried big riot sticks. The department, as well as a small three- or four-cell city jail, stood at the corner of Eighth and Vermont streets.
"My fame was cooking for some of the prisoners on Saturdays and Sundays," Cobb said.
Since his early days, Cobb has held every position within the department, ranging from animal and parking control to commander of the detective division.
Cobb said one of his proudest accomplishments was continuing the department's record of zero unsolved homicides while he was in charge of the detective unit. That included an eight-month murder investigation into the stabbing death of a man outside a North Lawrence bar in 1994.
He went on to work 17 years as a lieutenant and the past three as captain.
"You have a chance to make a difference in someone's life every day that you come to work," he said. "I can't imagine having a different job."
But come July 1, Cobb will officially retire from the Lawrence Police Department, a job he started in July 1975 when he was 21 years old.
Friends and colleagues gathered downtown Friday evening for a reception in his honor. Lawrence Police Chief Ron Olin presented Cobb with the department's Meritorious Service Award, honoring his service.
"I will miss the people I work with," Cobb said. "All those people who keep Lawrence safe, that really care about what goes on, I'll miss them the most."
Top ads RSS
Marketplace
Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services
- On to the championship! Firebirds take down Blue Valley, 14-7, advance to State title game November 21, 2008 · 2 comments
- Blog: Backyard Fence Blog 4: Cozy Up October 17, 2008 · 443 comments
- A threat to all November 21, 2008 · 68 comments
- Tonganoxie man pleads no-contest to false report charge November 21, 2008 · 1 comment
- The glow from ‘The Day After’ hasn’t dimmed November 21, 2008 · 11 comments
- Civic illiteracy is alarming November 21, 2008 · 55 comments
- Blog: Your Favorite Side November 20, 2008 · 39 comments
- Johnson County funds to help improve K-10 Connector service between Lawrence and Overland Park November 20, 2008 · 28 comments
- Blog: A Dog, By Any Other Name, Would Still Smell Like A Dog! November 18, 2008 · 140 comments
- Center stage: New LAC director takes helm November 21, 2008 · 29 comments
- Reflections on the 25th anniversary of “The Day After” November 21, 2008
- Author to discuss grief and the holidays November 21, 2008
- Turnpike ramps to reopen Monday at West Lawrence interchange November 21, 2008
- Johnson County funds to help improve K-10 Connector service between Lawrence and Overland Park November 20, 2008
- Garden City resident gives $200,000 to Marching Jayhawks November 20, 2008
- Two banks in Lawrence call off merger talks November 21, 2008
- Long-awaited Basehor market under construction November 14, 2008
- Eudora business sweet on scrub February 13, 2003
- Bargain hunters bid farewell as Arensberg shoe store prepares to shut its doors after 50 years November 20, 2008
- Seabury basketball to stage scrimmage November 21, 2008
28 June 2008
at 8:12 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
bigdave (Anonymous) says…
I get to bust the cherry on this one!!!!! Well my mom said “not to say anything if you don't have anything good to say”
So–––––––––––––––––––––––—
28 June 2008
at 9:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…
Geez, how small was Lawrence in '75? The small town I grew up in on the East Coast was less than 40,000 people then, and there were about 20 patrol cruisers.