Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

It is impossible to persuade a man who does not disagree, but smiles. Those who truly knew you, Officer Cook, knew you were a genuinely kind hearted man. A jovial gentleman with a sense of humor that could light up any room. Your heart was bigger than most, you were a quality man of character and honor. You couple these together and you have the making of one terrific individual, a top notch police officer, whatever you desired to become nothing was ever going to impede your progress, full steam ahead. You found yourself, maybe at age fifty-five I still need to explore and find myself. When I walk by your block sadness still creeps in, but I do know you gave everything and left nothing back when you protected and served Dade County citizens proudly from beginning until that awful day. May 16, 1979 is the day I, your family, your comrades, friends will take time to pause and reflect back on a wonderful life and career filled with compassion, care and consideration for all. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. People said my father, may he rest in peace was too nice to be a police officer, well you too were a nice person, even though we never met, quite a big regret, you were a friend until the end, giving your all. You never ran from anything, May 16, 1979, was certainly no exception to this. A police officer's police officer. Justice and honor reined down on the streets of your watch. They were never absent. They demonstrated their abilities, as you honored us with yours.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

Whatever the right hand finds something for one to achieve, the left hand carries a watch on its wrist to show how long it takes to accomplish the task. No watch, Officer Cook, was ever required for the effort you gave. Every time out it was one hundred percent pure toil expended. Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success and on May 16, 1979, it was your heroic actions that endeavored to pacify a troubled young man bent on ruination between the police and the citizens they serve and protect. For six years you were more than a mere breath of fresh air and relief to those who relied upon your knowledge and soothing voice to lead them properly. Valiant and vigorous brought unity and freedom to our doorsteps. You will always be remembered for your unwavering commitment and the undaunted bravery that your position demands. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

The true portrait of a man is a fusion of what he thinks he is, what others think he is, what he really is and what he tries to be. How true. We change like the leaves on a tree. We become like a jeckill and hide. Everyday you made it your number one priority to be honorable, Officer Cook, personable, caring, loyal and faithful to those who were concerned about you. Your family and those men and women who courageously stood with you toe to toe in your battles against evil. The portrait of yourself would be a very proud and happy young man who zested for life, was passionate of his career and one who flashed that million dollar smile. It's still brightening our saddest days. One day we will reunite and catch up on everything. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

Integrity is so perishable in the summer months of success. We must be mindful of our ethics at work, at play or with our families. You were successful at many things, Officer Cook, winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call. Integrity and honesty are words that make up our characters all year round. A police officer's profession is very detailed and these characteristics are forever part of their lessons when they are braving whatever they tackle from day to day. A hero or heroine lives their life upon certain scruples and standards and their code of conduct must always be above reproach. No one ever had to be concerned with your integrity, this was always center stage in a uniquely humble manner. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

Good people are good because they have come to wisdom by not being as successful at first. Having humility can generally lead any person to success, but it is the person who recognizes failure and is able to change their ways that will lead them back upon the righteous path. Your upbringing, Officer Cook, kept you on that path throughout your life and career. There are officers today that should take a copy of that page when they show up for work each day. Failure versus success, integrity versus dignity, it takes much skill for one to properly adopt to these conditions and you were very much able to differentiate between each. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

The closing of a door can bring blessed privacy and comfort-the opening, terror; conversely, the closing of a door can be a sad and final thing-the opening of a wonderfully joyous moment. Doors are opportunities for us to better ourselves through a little luck, but a whole lot of hard work and the effort to backup our endeavors. You should still be with us, Officer Cook, and those who knew you the best, loved you, respected you, your beloved family and comrades will always revere what you represented. Your career and life ended very sadly, but your sacrifice will stand as your living legacy in that doors and windows for others to pursue the things they are able to will stay opened. Your desire, devotion and dedication will keep the torch of hope, peace and unity burning forever. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

When a friend says hello or something to me listen and sound interested in what they say. You were an excellent listener and even more so a master communicator, Officer Cook. This is something that may take police officers awhile to comprehend. When you must deal in any circumstance, good speech and a calming voice of logic and reason is so essential to performing the job quite skillfully. Your humble leadership skills called upon you from time to time to exercise wisdom and maturity. And this needs dignity and integrity to be successful. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. Lapse, relapse, fall, get up, these words mean a lot to us. Sometimes life deals you hard knocks and we must be prepared to answer the bell. You were always ready and vigilant for Dade County residents, Officer Cook and you performed your job with class, character, honesty and virtue. Not too many people can say they lived their lives and worked diligently at their careers by these traits. You will forever be a hero, as humble and humane as it gets. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. You were a champion of those less fortunate helping them lift up their spirits whenever called upon.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 28, 2014

People often say this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something that one finds. It is something that one creates. If one is encumbered by the feeling that there is too much to get done, too many people to please; if one is constantly filled with a sense of dread, a feeling that nothing is right, then everything is about thirty degrees to the left. Waiting to be passive and trying to find ourselves will not work, we need to be active full-time participants in the creation of our destinies. Officer Cook, you created your own destiny by making smart decisions that benefited not just yourself, you made them for Karen and you were fully accountable and responsible. You created the dynamics for your humble and stellar career with the Metro-Dade Police Department. You found yourself through persistence and hard work characterized by both your wisdom and maturity. None of these traits ever steered you down the wrong path, if anything it was your heroics, bravery and calming demeanor that led you to that domestic scene on May 16, 1979, where you saved seven lives, no one could have imagined how things went terribly wrong, but you my neighbor, friend and hero reacted as you were trained. Rest in peace. Dread and despair were substituted with words such as determination, dedication, desire and devotion. Plan and simple to the point police jargon.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 27, 2014

It is impossible to persuade a man who does not disagree, but smiles. Sometimes a passive smile, a quick glance is good for the soul, it can break up the monotony. You were a very educated and clever gentleman, Officer Cook, in the sense that you knew how to pick up the morale and help get a fellow officer out of the doldrums. You never embarrassed anyone and held yourself up to the highest standards of morals and discipline. Always accountable. You conducted your daily affairs with the highest degree of honesty, dignity and integrity. No sparring. You placed the goodwill of Dade County residents always on a high level and acted in a manner that brought honor to your department. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 27, 2014

The beauty of the trees, the softness of the wind, the fragrance of the grass speaks to me. The summit of the mountain, the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the sea speaks to me. And my heart soars. Heroes and heroines like yourself, Officer Cook, have reached that pinnacle of success through honor and bravery and now your beloved soul has continued to climb God's eternal summit. As an avid outdoorsman, photographer, fisherman, hunter and musician you were a man of resolve and very much a multii-talented and multi-faceted police officer. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 27, 2014

Whatever the right hand finds something for us to do, the left hand carries a watch on its wrist to show how long it takes to do it. It always appears that our inner clocks, the ones with the pointing fingers instead of hands, are running about two hours fast. People who do too much never seem to have enough time. If we do not judge ourselves to be late, then surely others will point out our tardiness. We ourselves at times can be our own worst enemy. Our interior clocks are over wound, out of control. We all have twenty-four hours in a day to accomplish as much as we can properly and with civility. We just need to step back a little, take a healthier attitude, a fresher prospective and not use it as a weapon. Time if utilized properly usually ends up on your side. Police officers work different shifts of eight, nine or ten hours a day, afternoon or overnight. You worked all these shifts or most of them, Officer Cook. You maintained a positive outlook, calm, cautious and quite vigilant. During your six years of excellent service to Dade County and its residents, you constantly displayed all the quality work habits, morals and character that enabled you to act as you always did. You made certain that those under your leadership marched according to the department and division standards. Your heroic actions on May 16, 1979, contributed in a large measure to eradicating wickedness from our community and so this is what has left a most profound impression on those who have continued your watch. Those officers better make real sure their watch hands have been oiled and those batteries are running and calibrated at a higher level than most. When certain tools are needed for the job at hand, someone had better be sure they are at that officer's disposal. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero, God's clocks are always wound and ready to go. There is not a moment to waste! Officers need their entire bodies and minds working in sync at all times.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 26, 2014

The true portrait of a man is a fusion of what he thinks he is, what others think he is, what he really is and what he tries to be. very true. We are all a sum of intricately woven pieces-images we get from ourselves and from others. We grow up we change hopefully for the betterment of society. Since we are humans, we make mistakes from time to time, but, we have the opportunities to correct them and move on. Did you make wise decisions during your life? You sure did, Officer Cook and it paid dividends for you and you family. You were compassionate about becoming the best you could become. You were caring, honest and very hard working. Fiercely loyal and faithful in all that was given to you. Your profession calls upon all its devout and determined officers to act with the utmost caution, while utilizing dignity and integrity as a constant reminder of what appears out on your daily patrols. If one could paint a mural or portrait of yourself, it would be of a young man smiling and thankful of God's gifts that you received as you were growing up. You were given to those of us fortunate to have been blessed to have known and befriended you for twenty-five years. Three hundred months. My son would say dad you can figure that out so quickly and I say yes, but you should still be with us. Now for four-hundred and twenty months you've been watching us from above patrolling God's golden streets. You've passed your torch of hope and self-renewal to us to paint a brilliant picture, let us see what we too can turnout. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Summer is upon us now, it is sweltering out, kids play, go to the beach, have barbeques all because of your valor, bravery, courage and resolve. Thank you for being our hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 26, 2014

Integrity is so perishable in the summer months of success. When we accomplish, we must keep in mind our ethics. When we are left half as strong, half as humane, we sometimes look at our "press clippings" thinking we have made it. Our personal ethics, always a fragile code to begin with, are strained mightily when we sit high on the throne. For any average person, I guess when we can say police officers who are not just any ordinary person, integrity and honesty must be displayed at all times, seasons, regardless of the atmosphere. Your ethics, Officer Cook, were central to your performance in serving and in protecting Dade County citizens. You can't miss a beat, otherwise you can be swallowed up in trouble, more than you could handle. The Central Division was honored to have a completely devout and loyal officer among its many other brave and courageous men and women. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call and indeed you were called my neighbor, friend and hero to lend an assist and resolve problems with the utmost panache. Rest in peace. As I reflected, you shunned the limelight and let your comrades receive the accolades. We do know you received commendations and awards for your diligent and commendable professional performances in the line of duty.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 25, 2014

Good people are good because they have come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success you know. I know you gained your maturity and smartness from endeavor and being brought up in a very well mannered and disciplined home, Officer Cook. If you ask anyone who has had great success to repeat it, you will hear how frightened they are. One of the keys in life to being successful and accomplished is to string together runs of achievement. Achievement is often had by happenstance, by mistake, not by design. And because it rarely takes wisdom to succeed, success is doubly threatening-there is no surface map, no written guarantees. But we do know about failure and most often we know its causes. One learns by failing, in order to succeed the next time. People who are unafraid of failure, view this as part of the way to insure a true measure of success. Failure for police officers is not something looked at lightly. This was a word not in your commitment to carry out the daily demands of your position, Officer Cook. It was your desire, devotion, dedication and determination which when these traits worked equally well for you, then you became the accomplished public servant whose valor, courage and bravery made you more aware and less fearful of situations. You were a good person to know, to respect, and to lead because of your faithfulness, resolve and humbleness to act when called upon. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. May 16, 1979 was indeed a very tragic day for all members of your beloved family and those of your professional fraternity, but the torch of your honor remains lit forever, it cannot ever be extinguished, nor can your outstanding character which stands as the epicenter of your legacy.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 25, 2014

The closing of a door can bring privacy and the comfort-the opening, terror, conversely, the closing of a door can be a sad and final thing-the opening a wonderfully joyous moment. Knowing when to open and when to close a door are very important. One door closes, another opens and the opportunities that may come about are immense. The finality of closing one brings about the promise of opening another. When all of Dade County said its goodbyes to you, Officer Cook, on May 19, 1979, at your Inspector's Funeral at St. Mary's Cathedral, they were paying you the homages of what you represented during your life and during your professional career as a police officer. All the good that you lived by in your life, the honesty, dignity and integrity can never be locked in. Your family lives by these outstanding virtues which corroborated what you meant to Dade County and its citizens of which you took a solemn affirmation to serve and to protect in loyalty and in faithfulness. Your devoutness to your faith served as a highlight of what it means to first serve God and then you serve all mankind. A truly remarkable moment as you were a truly humble and humanely giving person. Legacies are made to last and yours my neighbor, friend and hero shall be enshrined forever. Rest in peace. A victorious man who never let anything keep you down. The battles of evil persist, but, because of your unwavering hope and presence, one day may these battles be over and marked with unity and peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 24, 2014

When a friend speaks to you, whatever he says is interesting. We need to be more open and receptive to what others say. You are yourself a more interesting individual when you allow others to converse. We affirm ourselves when we give our friends the ultimate gift of our attention. Keeping in touch with friends from the past, allows one the opportunity to catch up and relive a bit of the past, a perspective of what life was about back in the day. I know your loving family and colleagues from your past all remember you, Officer Cook, for being the consummate police officer, gentleman, honest person and a truly faithful and dedicated professional. Dade County remembers and looks to the inspirations of all its heroes and heroines for support in times of trouble and misery. We look to carry on your legacy which was your aspirations to endeavor to become the best you could be. I guarantee you were at the top of the ladder in your department in dignity, integrity, bravery, courage and valor in acting to save those seven lives on May 16, 1979. Your comrades and those civilians can surely be forever grateful to you for coming onto that scene when you and your partner that day, Reserve Officer Scott Lincoln did. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Officer William C. Cook was truly the epitome of the consummate listener and a wonderfully focused impact communicator.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 24, 2014

We live in a nervous and restless age, ourselves fragmented as we glance at one another....We are forced to see our own and other people's lives in side glances; we ask for the essence, not the paragraph. When we are working a little too much, we give the impression that we do not have time for one another. A vague hello or a half- hearted greeting. We shortchange ourselves and create a joyless, dreary, cold place, one in constant motion-always "in production." We need more face offs with reality, not just side views. You were a jovial gentleman, Officer Cook, who would give all your friends a kind and warm-hearted greeting, flashing your million dollar smile. You produced your best results because of your firmness to act and honesty in dealing with all citizens. People like you are going to be cherished forever. The links to the past, the present and future standout and are highlighted by your discipline which collaborated, consolidated and culminated in your serving and protecting Dade County with the utmost distinction. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 23, 2014

We do not remember days, we remember moments. When one looks back on their childhood, you realize this is true. There are shining moments and blistering ones, but never entire days. When we look back on the past, we do not recall it day by day, appointment by appointment, task by task. We remember the moment we met our wives, all the holidays spent with the family. Moments are what matter. I would imagine if you could freeze them in time, most of us would without any reservations whatsoever. Nuance is so powerful, memorable, life changing and life affirming that we need to record these moments, remember them. We must not lose them in a blur of frenzied activity. Your life and career as a Metro-Dade Police Officer, Officer Cook, is one we should look back on first with sadness and regret you are not here today to relish the joyful times with Karen, your beloved wife and family where you are very much missed at your family occasions. But we should all look back on a very well-lived life and career, one man so humble, lovable, honest and sincere in all your efforts to make Dade County a more safer and serene place for all to prosper. For making the ultimate sacrifice, with dignity, integrity and valor, this is certainly where the moments and years you toiled diligently and vigorously count the most. It's always hard for one to look back to May 16, 1979, because of your actions and heroic character, we can surely pause and reflect on your legacy that now stands forever bound up alongside other heroes and heroines who dared to risk everything for our lives to carry on as yours too should have been allowed to do. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 23, 2014

Success is a process, a quality of mind and way of being, an outgoing affirmation of life. if we view our employment as a portion, a component of our lives, keeping it in perspective and not hiding behind it or losing ourselves in it, then we have been successful in balancing and interweaving other parts of our lives with it. If we take a much more better look, then the harmony between our personal interests and our work can be more balanced and better maintained. To put this process to the test, you worked very hard, Officer Cook to get from one point to another. You carried with you a plan of action, a motive which enabled you to fulfill your goals, dreams and aspirations. It all starts to take shape when one is growing up as a mature young man or young woman. I was reading the stories of some of your Metro-Dade Police Department colleagues of the past and those who followed you and sadly quite a few of them were your age or even younger. I maybe a civilian, even as a rabbi, but their lives and careers were filled with the same hopes, dreams and aspirations that supported your decision to become a police officer. Your vision, their visions, their honor, dignity and integrity was as steadfast and rock solid in the foundations of bravery, courage and valor that one needs to perform such a dangerous job. You all deserve kudos and salutes for your gallantry beyond the calls of duty. The successes you all achieved in honesty as heroes and heroines will be your everlasting legacies and none of you will ever be forgotten. For trying to restore your honor and respect in having Dade Memorial Park North Cemetery place back on your grave an emblem of Dade County, so too did I write a letter to the county on behalf of Metro-Dade Police Officer, Stephen Owen Corbett, who at age twenty-one, was the youngest officer in your department to give his life in the line of duty, I asked if the county could put a street sign bearing his name back on the street after it was taken down and they did it eventually. I just try my best to remember fallen officers and you my neighbor, friend and hero lived here in North Miami Beach, Florida, where I want to really believe that people care. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 22, 2014

California, with all its sand and beaches is where you were born, Officer Cook, Berkeley, I believe, home to the University of California at Berkeley. Your parents made a great decision to come east to sunny South Florida, where you grew up and achieved most of your dreams and desires. You passion to become a Metro-Dade Police Officer, I'm sure has served all these years as an inspiration for all. Your great-niece, Alexis, just graduated from high school, don't know if she will follow in her beloved great-uncle's footsteps, but I'm certain she will succeed with all her strength just like you did. Everyone in your family has succeeded in some educational or other professional endeavor. There's a time to party, a place to get wet and soak up plenty of rays of sun. You were my neighbor, friend and hero, the epitome of an optimist who soaked in whatever you had set your mind to accomplish. Rest in peace, all those rays and good vibes have and will forever shield your loved ones and those comrades who made the same sacrifices for our benefit as you so loyally and faithfully demonstrated and discharged on Dade County's behalf for six years. Maybe Alexis will attend UC at Berkeley. Our son Joshua will be graduating 12th grade next year, maybe he will apply to UC at Berkeley. You have to hit the books, you did this and kept your grades up.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 22, 2014

You specialize in something until one day it is specializing in you. Where to draw the line? If only we are happy in our careers and our work truly fascinates us, feeds us and keeps our minds active and vigorous, that is wonderful. Sometimes a person loves something a little too much that it starts to own you. You close doors and those you care about are kept out of your inner circle. A person such as yourself, Officer Cook, was immersed in your career while at work and when you time off came you spent it with family and friends, hunting, fishing, taking pictures and with music. Your life was well-lived and it afforded you the chance to make new acquaintances along the way. An honorable gentleman such as yourself, Officer Cook, never placed aside your friends, your welcomed them as your guest with open arms. You delivered joy and serenity to a world that sorely requires more of the same today. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. You and your colleagues have continued welcoming, if that is the proper word, all of your comrades who have made the ultimate sacrifice that you made thirty-five years ago. God surely has the best that this world lent to us for service and protection. You've made His golden streets that much more safer. You loved everything regarding your career and we know this is why you worked most passionately to become.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 21, 2014

Men may look at themselves in mirrors. Women look for themselves. Most men are not too terrific at introspection. Some people just rush into their daily routines without giving a thought to others self-esteem. Both men and women police officers need not view themselves in a mirror as they already know the possible risks they face because of what their profession demands of them. You and Karen, Officer Cook, did not need to look in mirrors, because you were honorable, extremely dedicated and hard working individuals, who knew the causes you both represented. You both made people feel better as two finely trained professionals in the health care and law enforcement profession. If one places a large mirror directly into the morning sunshine, the light of your cherished soul will bounce right off of it for all to view. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. I'm sure you both enjoyed sharing your professional moments amid the quietness of your loving home.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 21, 2014

The winner is one who knows when to drop out in order to get in touch. Police work is not about winners or losers, unless you have officers that have strayed from the proper path and may have caused other good and dedicated officers to stray as well. You represented what every good officer is about, Officer Cook, loyal, dependable, resourceful and faithful to carry out your duties no matter the time or circumstance at hand. Your valued leadership and your contributions to your department, division and all the citizens of Dade County have left a valuable lesson to all officers and to those they serve and protect. The work ethic you solemnly displayed satisfied not only your comrades, it solidified the bridges in unity and peace coming together at a time when unrest was unleashed in an area starving for its residents to just go about their normal everyday routines. Knowledge and maturity gave you my neighbor, friend and hero the courage to act bravely and quite nobly to enhance whatever you deemed necessary to correct. Rest in peace. Whenever your colleagues did well, you stood back and allowed them to bask in their accomplishments. You were a consummate team player.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 20, 2014

For every fine, well-adjusted and smoothly functioning American, these are two who never had the chance to discover themselves. It may well be because they have never been alone themselves. You faced everything that was assigned to you, Officer Cook and you did it with extreme pride and with a confident humbleness. You lived your life with the utmost pride, honor and dignity and for those officers who had partnered with you, they knew this was the only way you were going to succeed in all your endeavors. Your beloved wife, Karen knew this, your loving parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Julia Cook and your sister, Nancy, knew you to be that kind of gentleman, honorable, accessible and totally accommodating. You never gloated on your accomplishments, you just went about them as any normal and able-bodied officer should. I know if you were here today, the pain and agony you would be having regarding your friend and colleague, Officer Keith DiGenova being seriously wounded the day your made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of Dade County citizens would always be with you. He suffers and probably regrets not using his weapon to defend himself, you and your partner, Officer Robert Edgerton and those three civilians, two wounded by that troubled young man. But make no mistake, he is a hero and you are our hero, whose actions forever changed Dade County, you saved seven lives and your legacy is bound forever for all future generations to take note of. Officer Cook, there was nothing vague regarding your life, a life lived earnestly and in total humility and in your professional law enforcement career that was concentrated with bravery to act, courage to be compassionate and validated by your unselfish valor. You are one young man whose life was all too brief and yet for your twenty-five years of achievement, you will always be remembered for shining a large ray of hope amid the clouds of darkness. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Your fondness, hard work and desire elevated this world to a newer plateau in which peace, freedom and unity can share in the glow of health, prosperity and goodwill for all mankind.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 20, 2014