Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment. Your judgments, Officer Cook, never came into question, and neither the true value and quality of your actions that fateful day will ever be undermined as you and your fellow officers came under siege and attempted to put to rest tensions between yourselves and a young man bent on violence that had to be stopped before more lives were lost. You were I believe one of only three officers in your department and in Dade County, Officer Cook, who answered a call voluntarily and in the process lost your life, while saving seven lives including your fellow officers. All of you, Officer Johnson, in 1962 and Lt. Leis, in 1990 were heroes for sure and made a big difference in your community and a great thank you for displaying bravery, courage and valor when it counted the most. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. All officers who lay their lives down are important and certainly to be mentioned, just as one who goes beyond the call to save and preserve life as you so gallantly performed without hesitation.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 4, 2013

Could I speak it and show it, this pleasure more sharp than pain, that baffles and lures me so, the world should once more have a poet, such as it had in the ages glad, long ago! We could declare that you were one of Dade County's finest and most successful police officers. Officer Cook, when you went to work and served our community with honor and distinction, you were doing so because this was your true calling from God. He walked with you on a daily basis along with Karen, making sure you would be safe. You both worked passionately and tirelessly to make certain that the basic needs of the public and her patients were served with care and dignity. You both worked beyond the scope of what was deemed normal by most standards and this was your endearing personalities under stress, when tensions and nerves can become unhinged. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. To be among over one-hundred heroes and heroines from Dade County, Florida who exemplified their lives in actions and in doing good deeds, we cannot say enough as your memories continue to live on in the lives of your loving families.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 4, 2013

The bards sublime, whose distant footsteps echo through the corridors of time. Whenever you came through the doors of your department, Officer Cook, there was always a pleasant good morning, a smile and a cup of hot coffee. This was the kind of person, the true officer who became one fine and loyal leader. You were the inspirational kind of gentle soul who touched the very hearts of your colleagues and superiors. It's been awhile since officers like yourself, Officer Cook, have patrolled Dade County streets. I'm glad the street sign bearing your name at NW 17th Ave. and NW 75th St. was fixed and a new green sign hangs humbly at that stoplight for all to view as they pass by that location daily. Your care and concern was only met with the greatest respect by the citizens towards you. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 4, 2013

Each person is born to one possession which out values all the others-his last breath. Officer Cook, for all of your life, your twenty-five years of quality character, outstanding professional performance as a Metro-Dade Police Officer, your loved ones and friends can be very proud and take great pride in how you were successful and how you worked greatly to become the person you were. I can't find too many people like you living in North Miami Beach, Florida. You were a devoted son to your parents, a loving brother to your sister, Nancy, a caring and giving husband to your beloved wife, Karen. An uncle who would have been filled with goosebumps over his niece and nephews successes. You would have enjoyed doting and playing in the backyard with your two great-nieces and great-nephew. If you would have been with those you loved today, I strongly believe you would have made many further contributions to the community you knew and loved and gave your last ounce of strength to bring about peace and calm. This area is not as familiar as I am regarding your life and career, even though we never had the chance to know each other's families, but your heroic actions and humble ways will always carry us through as now this has been and always will be your legacy to cherish all the days of our lives. Our lives have been both enhanced and enriched because of my neighbor, friend and hero to all, Officer William C. Cook, Badge#1664. Rest in peace and I will always say a prayer for your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 4, 2013

Philosophy accepts the hard and hazardous task of dealing with problems not yet open to the methods of science-problems like good and evil, beauty and ugliness, order and freedom, life and death. Officer Cook, you accepted a huge challenge when you accepted the responsibilities that come with becoming a police officer. But, you accepted freely and without any doubts that you would give a complete and accountable effort. The awareness and accessibility made you better prepared than most and this was the motto by which you so duly served. Unafraid to stray where you needed to be to bring about a uniformity to your community where you were revered. Your actions were first class and first rate and will not be forgotten. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Your heroism and your passing have given us a unique test by Our Creator to see if we are up to the arduous challenge to make something positive from all the sadness. By some appearances it sounds as if we have achieved and made a small dent in something promising occurring.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

Reason is experimental intelligence, conceived after the pattern of science and used in the creation of social arts; it has something to do. It liberates man from the bondage of the past, due to ignorance and accident hardened into custom. It projects a better future and assists man in its realization. And its operation is always subject to test in experience....Intelligence is not something possessed once for all. It is in constant process of forming and its retention requires constant alertness in observing consequences, an open-minded will to learn and courage in re-adjustment. Everything about this reflection should apply to all law enforcement personnel if they are going to be successful in all their endeavors. And Officer Cook, since you were the thinking man's police officer whose deductive mind was keener than most and whose relentless desire to achieve allowed you to pursue where no other person would dare explore, this was why you have been revered and remembered for being the studious officer who took his division to another level. You bonded with others and were able to adapt to changes when called for. Your greatness as a great man was why you saw that spiritual is stronger than any material force, that thoughts rule the world along with the proper actions when called upon. You carried your faith with you all the days of your life and Our Creator never let you down. He has you and your father, Charles, may he too rest in peace, cradled for His loving protection until you and your loved ones are once again reunited. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. The soundness of logic must always prevail if officers are going to be able to stay safe.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

Honor wears different coats to different eyes. You all wear a different color uniform and work in many eclectic areas, but you all have one thing in common and that is to serve and to protect the public interests. Sometimes you need a thicker skin to survive the rigors that await. I believe Officer Cook, you were simply down to earth and compassionate in all your dealings and you just did what any law abiding officer would do. And that was to help save others and assist your fellow officers in trying to make a difference in modern society. The brown uniform, the shining black shoes are just part of a Metro-Dade police officer's makeup. How you proudly carry yourself while wearing that badge with pride on your chest is what matters the most. Did you treat people fairly and not show bias. In turn did the citizens you served, respect you and gave you the same fair treatment. The answer to each is a resounding yes and you'll never be forsaken nor forgotten. Your good name and the badge you proudly wore for six years goes with you to the next world where you now can without any reservation or doubt make a distinct difference in helping your fellow officers below combat the forces of evil that one day will be wiped out for good. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

Heroes are born with a unique humbleness that is driven by their pursuits and an ideal cannot wait for its realization to prove its validity. The realization of your life, Officer Cook, is that you made everyone who loved and came to know you proud. Whether a neighbor, the newspaper delivery person, the letter carrier or whomever. They all came across you at some point in their lives and it is a very good world for the purposes for which it was built; and that is all anything is good for. Do what you enjoy doing and try to excel and to best the best at what your pursuing. The perception of beauty is a moral test. This is what make men and women the fine people we've come to know who accept upon themselves a willingness to go beyond what we deem as normal. You risk everything to put all the citizens in a secure and safe environment. Making the world a more peaceful and cleaner area because of your unwavering service. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

The blindness in human beings...is the blindness with which we are all afflicted in regard to the feelings of creatures and people different from ourselves. Officers sometimes turn a "blind eye" so to speak and this can lead to plenty of trouble very possibly down the line for them. You were not that officer, Officer Cook, your department knew the type of officer you were when they recruited you. The soundness of your thinking, the calmness of your voice, your passion you shared with others and the compassion you utilized when it was called for spoke volumes of your sterling character and mannerisms that helped you excel when you needed it the most. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing. That is why we have officers so bold and brave like you, Officer Cook, daring to pursue where no on else will go. Every officer needs to employ common sense and from what I have been reading recently in the newspapers, common sense and plain dealing seems to have run astray. Why can't all officers display these traits like yourself and your other forty-one comrades from Metro-Dade who laid down their lives for a purpose and with no preconceived notions? All officers know and accept the risks and are made acutely aware of the dangers of what may transpire. You all enjoyed your work and the rewarding career and the challenges that it offers, but you made a lifetime decision to become a duly trained law enforcement official who relished being in the public eye. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

How can we speak of the action of the mind under any divisions, as of its knowledge, of its ethics, of its works, and so forth, since it melts will in perception, knowledge into act? each becomes the other. Itself alone is. You work ethic, Officer Cook, was among the best in Metro-Dade County Police Department history, if not the best. Because of your set priorities, my neighbor, friend and hero, you always had the best interests of the citizens you protected ahead of you and on May 16, 1979, these actions were no different than all your days on the force, except this was a tall task you and your comrades had at hand trying to calm a young man and keep peace in the streets of Liberty City in Miami-Dade County where your presence was always and will forever be noticeably felt. Perception can in certain circumstances be reality and the reality of this day is your heroic character will always be legendary among all the people. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

One man's justice is another's injustice; one man's beauty another's ugliness; one man's wisdom another's folly. One officer like yourself, Officer Cook, full of compassion and wisdom, more mature than your twenty-five years, who could lighten up the moment with your bright smile and bubbly personality, you had everything headed in the right direction, and yet none of us can believe that you have been called up to God's heavenly throne. You will always be here in spirit. That can never be taken away from us. Your loving family, friends and colleagues who remember the kind of person and exceptional police officer you turned out to be. So giving, so caring, so full of life, you'll always be our inspirational guide and we ask that you see to it that our compasses are always pointed in the right direction. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

Every excess causes a defect; every defect an excess. Every sweet has its sour; every evil its good. Every faculty which is a receiver of pleasure has an equal penalty put on its abuse. It is to answer for its moderation with its life. Police officers can only perform their duties when given not only the proper training, but placed in a position to succeed, even knowing that there are risks and dangers involved. And Officer Cook, you were aware and knew the evil that day that might place your life and the lives of your fellow officers and those three civilians in great jeopardy, none the less, you placed your life in harm's way, saving the lives of your comrades and those innocent civilians. You were our hero along with your forty-one other colleagues who gave their lives in the line of duty and are to be forever commended. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this. There is a lot of greatness in society, Officer Cook, and it was because of your tireless pursuits to see that citizens remained safe and sound. Police officers surely have to be cautious when responding to incidents and through their efforts goodness can and will forever prevail and triumph over wickedness. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 3, 2013

I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn't photograph them. As an amateur photographer, Officer Cook, you certainly valued nature, but you valued something more precious and that was human life. Your undaunted and untiring commitment to service was very much appreciated and that was what made you the unique and outstanding officer that your Division Chief, Dale P. Bowlin, came to know and admire. You thought of very much in the circles of your department and your colleagues. Keep taking those beautiful pictures from the skies above as you continue helping God watch over us and those officers whose dedication and desire endeavors to replicate what you displayed. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Mr. Bowlin knew he could count on your excellent intellect and keen intuition.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 2, 2013

An optimist sees opportunity in every calamity. A pessimist sees calamity in every opportunity. And police officers like you, Officer Cook, take notice of the infrastructure and attempt to make improvements in it. Your resourcefulness was a breath of fresh air your department surely needed. This is very much absent today, but for what you stood for and represented with pride and dignity this will never be forgotten nor forsaken. You were not a status quota officer, you looked with a fervor where you could travel to change the lives of those you served and protected. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 2, 2013

Even after your passing, Officer Cook, we know God makes salvation flourish. Great things have occurred in the community because of the way you policed and served the citizens. As you watch over your family, friends and colleagues, keep assisting Our Creator as He continues making wondrous things happen. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 2, 2013

There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized common peace. You galvanized the community with your presence and sound way of compassion and calming reason, Officer Cook. This can and will never get lost in the translation. All officers need to understand why you came into this profession and the message you imparted to those near and dear to your heart. Virtue, liberty and independence were you answers to unrest and violence, thirty-four years later this has stood as your mantel. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

There is a price which is too great to pay for peace and that price can be put in one word. One cannot pay the price of self-respect. You paid this very dear price, Officer Cook and your fellow officers knew you were the man to come to the rescue of your comrades who nearly lost their lives as you did. That advice you instilled in others sure paid dividends and continues to pay those residuals. Dade County is certainly indebted to you my neighbor, friend and hero. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

But dream not helm and harness the sign of valor true; peace hath higher tests of manhood than battle ever knew. You dreamed and were not afraid to pursue a career lurking with pitfalls and just about anything that could deter an officer. Officer Cook, you were battle tested and your skills were greater than some officers older than yourself and yet the maturity level you had made you wider than most. You paid the ultimate price to ensure unity and justice and are not forgotten. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. You harnessed your power for practical gains that are now well noticed in the community you patrolled.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

Peace is not the work of a single day, nor will it be the consequence of a single act. Yet every constructive act contributes to its growth; every omission impedes it. Peace will come, in the end, if it comes at all, as a child grows to maturity-slowly, imperceptibly, until we realize one day in incredulous surprise that a child is almost grown. It took you, Officer Cook, many years, at least a couple years to make a truly dedicated officer out of you. You listened, asked questions and soaked in all the information one could absorb. It made you fearless, yet resolved to get at the root of evil. Determined to conquer all, you gave your last ounce of strength to gain a handle on this violence which cost us a most precious and treasured human being indeed. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero, you are now among God's treasured officers along with twenty-thousand other men and women undaunted in their trail of excellence.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

For lo! The days are hastening on, by prophet-bards foretold, when with the ever-circling years, comes round the age of gold; when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing. The days come and go pretty fast, Officer Cook, if only we could have turned back the clock and brought you back with us. Haste makes waste and you were a firm believer in utilizing your time very wisely. Help those who serve our country and community use their skills and times wisely, my neighbor, friend and hero. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it. You worked every moment on this saying, Officer Cook and it made you the personification of being the excellent police officer your department and citizens came to know, respect and admire. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

Our goal will be peace. Our instrument for achieving peace will be law and justice. Our hope will be that, under these conditions, the vast energies now devoted to weapons of war will instead be used to clothe, house and feed the entire world. This is the only goal worthy of our aspirations. Competing in this way, nobody will lose and mankind will gain. Our community has gained much insight since the day you gave your life, Officer Cook, to bring justice and truth to balance out on the scales of fairness and unity. As the message on your gravestone says: No greater love than he who gives up his life for his friends. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles. As a principled man of integrity and values, Officer Cook, you are trained to act accordingly as the situation warrants it. A man of peace, a man of ingenuity, of creativity, you wanted things to work out as planned on your last watch. You answered a call you were not obligated to respond to and you achieved in saving seven lives of your fellow officers and three civilians. no one can ever, ever question your relentless pursuit to bring a resolution about and end a day of violence in which your young life, your grit, your heart and innocence was taken from you. You had so much, much more to contribute to this world in terms of your endearment and leadership abilities.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

July 1, 2013