Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Detective Hobbs is a true hero. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all those who loved him. God Bless.................

Dan & Arlene O'Rourke
Parents of Sergeant Patrick J. O'Rourke EOW 9/9/12 Hartland Twp MI

March 4, 2014

Rest easy brother. We'll take the watch.

APO M. A.
SCPD

March 4, 2014

Rest in peace Detective Hobbs. My sincere condolences to your family and to your department. Godspeed as you now patrol the streets of gold.

OFC TERRY F. ZECH(RET0
VETERAN AFFAIRS POLICE DEPT, DETROIT, MICH

March 4, 2014

Rest in Peace my fallen brother. You are gone but WILL not be forgotten.

Motor Officer Cosme A. Martinez
Nogales Police Department

March 4, 2014

You gave selflessly of yourself and eventually your life protecting the city I was born & raised in...now you watch over us all with a badge of solid gold and a uniform of blinding white...rest peacefully Det. John Hobbs...your law enforcement brothers & sisters have this one now...End of Watch 3/3/2014 at 1515 hours...with RESPECT...Namaste...

Leslie Baldwin
Civilian

March 4, 2014

My thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and co-workers of Detective John Hobbs. Another Hero taken too soon. May God comfort you and your family as you go and touch the face of God.
Your honorable service and sacrifice and bravery to the citizens of Phoenix, Arizona will not be forgotten. God Speed and God Bless. Rest in Peace Sir.


May the children of Detective Hobbs, know that their Dad, is a HERO who we will not forget and will forever be in his debt for all he has done for us. Detective Hobbs. Thank You for your service and protection to us all, may you rest in peace. God bless you and your family.

Final Salute

VIPS 750 Jeff Claybern
Alexandria Kentucky Police Department

March 4, 2014

Thanks to all our officers that continue answering the calls, never knowing when that last call may come. Let us not take any of them for granted, but express our gratitude and respect to each one for the job they do so that we can be secure. Rest in Peace Detective Hobbs and we pray for a speedy recovery to the injured Officer.
May God keep and watch over your Families.

P.O. Richard E. Gray (Retired)
NYCPD

March 4, 2014

This poem was written after getting my wife’s 19 years perspective of being a police officer’s wife.


“He Does it For You!”

He doesn’t do it for the money,
Cause surely there’s something better to do,
He says, “Someone has to do it!”
So really, he does it for you.

His eight to twelve hours is from call to call,
From a murder to a cat in a tree,
You say he’s never around when you really need him,
But without him, where would you be?

You curse him when you get a speeding ticket,
And scream there’s something better he could do,
But have you looked at how many deaths there are on the highways,
So really, he’s doing it for you.

He’s always seeing so much bad in the world,
He really doesn’t know what to do,
He wonders sometimes if it’s even worth it,
But he knows he has to do it for you.

Each day when he leaves for work,
And I always kiss him good-bye,
I don’t know if I’ll see him again,
Cause the day might be the day he dies.

So many times he comes home from work,
And I see a small tear in his eyes,
I ask him what is the problem dear?
And he says another innocent person has died.

You always say a cop isn’t human,
Cause at a tragedy he’s cool from the start,
But you don’t have to live with him,
And watch his mind and heart break apart.

I remember one hot June night at work,
His supervisor came, “Your husband’s been hurt!”, he said,
It was such a long ride to the hospital,
They wouldn’t say if he was alive or dead.

Crime is always on the increase,
The streets a battle ground,
And when one in “Blue” is slain,
At the funeral-taps will sound.

He’ll lay in a flagged draped coffin,
An honor for those who die for this land,
Just like the Army, Navy and Marines,
He died by the enemies hands.

Most ordinary citizens won’t be at the funeral,
But you’ll see plenty of people wearing blue,
You’ll see dozens of marked patrol cars,
Honoring the one who died for you.

Written by David L Bell Copyright © 1991
Retired Deputy Sheriff after over 38 years
Richland County Sheriff’s Dept
Columbia, SC

Investigator David L Bell (Retired)
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

March 4, 2014

In Honor of your Sacrifice and for your family and friends, I salute you as a HERO! May God
Give the family and friends the strength and faith to deal with this tragic loss. Words can not express my sorrow!

"The Badge"

He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.

He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.

Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.

He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.

His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.

He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.

And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.

But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.

Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.

Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.

So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.

In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.

Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.

Written By:
David L. Bell

Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1993 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

This may be re-posted in the Honor of his death and the death of any Law Enforcement Officer!

Investigator David L Bell (Retired)
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

March 4, 2014

Rest in Peace bother in blue, prayers to your family and love ones. Thank you for all your years of service. RIP Det Hobbs

Investigator F. Caseres
State of Nevada Taxicab Authority Police

March 4, 2014

Rest In peace my brother. may the angels guide you to Heaven. May God Bless you and your family.

Det. Christopher Imperiale (retired)
Essex County Sheriff's Office, Newark, NJ

March 4, 2014

"There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter." Ernest Hemingway

It takes special men and women to do this day in and day out! Det. Hobbs you are a hero!

Semper Fi Brother!

Sergeant
Las Vegas Metro Police

March 4, 2014

R.I.P. Brother.

PO J. Bertolino
Haverstraw Police Dept.

March 4, 2014

For all those in the LE family and our supporters. John Hobbs was an outstanding police officer. He was a dedicated FTO, loyal friend and consumate professional. He would always have a "hello sir" when I saw him even though we served as officers together. He worked with many solid brothers and sisters in the South Mountain Precinct. He was a go to guy and one you would trust with your life. You were one of the great ones John we will share memories with your children and famliy forever.

Lt. Chris Moore 43F
Phoenix PD

March 4, 2014

May you rest in peace dear officer John Hobbs. May your family find comfort and same for your fellow officers,

Jan Taylor, Det, Retired
Dallas P. D.

March 4, 2014

Rest in Peace Det. Hobbs. Thank you for your service. My thoughts and prayers are with the Hobbs Family and the Phoenix Police Department.

Cpl. Gary Hughes (Retired)
Passaic County Sheriff's Office Wayne, NJ

March 4, 2014

Rest easy, Brother. We'll take it from here.

Sgt. Todd Elliott
Battle Creek Police Department

March 4, 2014

OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY OF DETECTIVE HOBBS , AND ALL THOSE WHO MOURN THE LOSS OF DETECTIVE HOBBS .
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
HIS SERVICE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND HIS DEEDS NEVER FORGOTTEN.
GOD BLESS

Ret PO David Herbert
Toronto Police Service, Ontario Canada

March 4, 2014

John, you will be missed. A privilege to work with you. We had some great memories in 600 brother! Prayers for your family. RIP

Retired Sergeant Steve Fullerton #4523
Phoenix Police Department

March 4, 2014

Rest in pease my brother...

Sgt. Sherman W. Lee (Retired)
S.F.P.D-Bayview Station

March 4, 2014

Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for making Phoenix safer. Thank you for saying, "Not on my watch!" Take your place in the Hall of Heroes. Rest In Peace and God bless you.

Deputy N. Perez
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

March 4, 2014

To my dear Brother, you will be missed but not forgotten. RIP. My Prayers go to the Family, Friends, and my former Co-Workers. Rest easy Sir, we have the watch from here.

Retired Detective Don Vine #5896
Phoenix Police Department

March 4, 2014

Rest in peace Sir

Shannon Yates
University of Southern Mississippi Police Dept

March 4, 2014

R.I.P. Detective. Hobbs, We will pray for you, your family and the Phoenix Police Dept.

Chief Dan L'Allier
Virginia MN. Fire Department

March 4, 2014

Detective Hobbs served in a profession that only a few will understand. He served this profession proud and we will miss him and his contributions to the citizens of Phoenix and to the United States. Rest in Peace my brother, we have the watch from here.

"FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR IT, FREEDOM HAS A FLAVOR THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW"

Chief of Police David Gottschalk
Fairplay, Colorado Police Dept.

March 4, 2014