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."
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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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.