Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Art is the gift of God and must be used Unto His glory. And now too late, we see these things are one: that art is sacrifice and self-control and who loves beauty must be stern of soul. You loved the great outdoors, Officer cook and you must have been quite a photographer. You enjoyed tennis as well. It's too bad we could not have hit a few balls across the net. You loving soul can and will always be seen floating above the great mountains of this land. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 29, 2013

Art is not a thing: it is a way. It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, for our consideration and application of these things and I know of no substitute whatever the force and beauty of its process. There is no substitute for men and women like you, Officer Cook, who constantly go through the arduous rigors of your profession to maintain law and order and always do it with honor and integrity. Police officers are important people as we all are and they work a very dangerous job to assist us all. They can never be replaced and their memories are to be always revered. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 29, 2013

Every genuine work of art has as much reason for being as the earth and the sun. And it's a tragedy, Officer Cook, that you were not allowed to continue enjoying your freedoms, like the great outdoors, but you'll always be a hero in our eyes for protecting our freedoms. The sun will come up and the earth will continue to rotate as your beloved soul travels through the heavens above. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 29, 2013

Courage, considered in itself or without reference to its causes, is no virtue and deserves no esteem. It is found in the best and the worst and is to be judged according to the qualities from which it springs and with which it is conjoined. The courage you displayed as do all officers who place their lives at risk, Officer Cook, cannot be taken for granted. Not many people would dare to risk as you so faithfully did and this bravery and valor is the price that your very being exacted for us to be granted peace and contentment in this world. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 28, 2013

He ate and drank the precious words, his spirits grew robust; he knew no more that he was poor, nor that his frame was dust, he danced along the dingy days and this bequest of wings was but a book. What liberty a loosened spirit brings! And we can all thank you, Officer Cook, for providing us with liberty and freedom. Now it is up to us to shoulder the responsibility that was your onus while you so faithfully carried out your duties. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 28, 2013

Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect and it is shameful to surrender it too soon or to the first comer, there is nobility in preserving it coolly and proudly through a long youth, until at last, in the ripeness of instinct and discretion, it can be safely exchanged for fidelity and happiness. Your bold and brave actions on May 16, 1979, Officer Cook, serve to remind us that proper care and caution must be exercised and during that time frame there were tensions as I mentioned before that reared its ugliness in the Dade County community and you and your fellow officers should and were to be commended for exercising proper restraint until you were forced to discharge your weapons. This was a terrible moment in Dade County police history as was the tragedy of April 1, 1976 when three auto theft detectives were killed by a scoundrel who did not want to face the music and go to jail for his crimes. Very sad! There was no doubting your actions you followed the book and was decisive and prudent in acting as you did to save those two civilians and your fellow officers. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero along with those colleagues whose bravery and decisiveness made a difference in how police work ought to be performed.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

Every idea is an incitement. It offers itself for belief and if believed, it is acted on unless some other belief outweighs it, or some failure of energy stifles the movements at its birth. Nothing was going to impede your progress in becoming a police officer and no pun intended my neighbor, friend and hero, but some officers, Officer Cook have different agendas when starting out in police work and march to the beat of a different drum, an instrument you enjoyed playing in your high school band. That is sad about how officers function outside the rules and regulations of their departments, but of course that is why they have other officers known as the Internal Affairs Division. No one wants to sit and be grilled for hours on end regarding their official misconduct and to be told to hand in your badge and weapon. But there are those officers who should not be allowed to patrol the streets in certain communities. This happened about two weeks ago, a Broward County Deputy committed several criminal violations and yet because of his lawyer and department, they gave him his position back with almost seventeen months back pay. I say the only uniform he should wear is a prison uniform, but I guess he has rights. Your friend, Chief Jacobs is very computer literate and could google this case as it was written in either the South Florida Sun Sentinel or the Miami Herald. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero and know you are watching and observing the actions of officers in this world who are devoted to truth and justice for all people and would not misuse or tarnish the badge and uniform along with the trust that accompanies them.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

We are born believing. A man bears beliefs as a tree bears apples. I'm sure you friends who knew you, Officer Cook, knew both your abilities and capabilities. As an officer you were sure of both these characteristics and the man you grew up to become. There is a saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree and in your case my neighbor, friend and hero, it certainly did not. It took your parents terrific upbringing and much planning and calculating to figure out how you could proceed with the process of becoming a very excellent and observant police officer. Your legacy continues to shine brightly at the Metro-Dade Police Headquarters in Doral, Florida. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

Faith is a fine invention when gentlemen can see. But microscopes are prudent in an emergency. Your faith never wavered, Officer Cook and neither did your comrades nor your department's confidence in your abilities ever become shaken. You provided sound leadership, resourcefulness and accountability that only the most loyal and top officers present. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

A man makes his inferiors his superiors by heat, self control is the rule. Anger and folly walk cheek by jowl; repentance treads on both their heels. Hate and anger destroy a man's sense of values and confuses him beyond reason. As a duly trained and highly professional officer, Officer Cook, you were able to learn and grow on the force because of your calming voice and sense of rationality. If all officers could use these two traits modestly and apply them in the correct manner, they are more likely to succeed rather to run into failure. Every officer of course is different and their personalities are as well, but they must mesh with others while on the job. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

America's greatness and intellect is constructed upon our freedom-is moral, not material. We have a great ardor for gain; but we have a deep passion for the rights of man. Thanks to your wonderful leadership skills, Officer Cook, you have allowed us to be free and secure to follow our dreams and aspirations so faithfully. We all stand together and can't be like ostriches, with our heads buried and not give consideration to others. officers cannot run from crisis, their bravery must come to the forefront as they must display leadership in times of harm and in secure moments. You were a champion, Officer Cook for the rights of all citizens and this too is a part of your legacy not to be forgotten. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

We, here in America, hold in our hands the hope of the world, the fate of the coming years; and shame and disgrace will be ours if, in our eyes, the light of high resolve is dimmed, if we trail in the dust the golden hopes of men. We placed our hopes in your fate, Officer Cook and you never ever disappointed in your handing of dilemmas that happened. You made sure citizens were safe and secure and never had a doubt in your abilities to function and to manage others under your direction. America is the greatest of opportunities and you took advantage of sound reasoning and logic to achieve what others did not. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. There is a giant reservoir of good will toward us and we can never thank you enough, Officer Cook, for channeling this our way.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

America is not just a power: it is a promise. It is not enough for our country to be extraordinary in might; it must be exemplary in meaning. Our honor and our role in the world finally depend on the living proof that we are a just society. The living proof of your honor and integrity can be cataloged in the way your family conducts their lives, Officer Cook. The manner in which they carry on your legacy will stand forever as to how you will be remembered. All officers take an oath so sacred to carry out their duties with dignity and honor, if one officer goes astray, it can tarnish an entire department, God forbid. You were the proof that officers can accomplish their professions with their heads held high and with tact and grace. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

Her children shall rise up to bless her name and wish her harmless length of days, the mighty mother of a mighty brood, blessed in all tongues and dear to every blood, the beautiful, the strong and best of all, the good. You certainly came from an excellent upbringing, Officer Cook, you and your sister, Nancy had opportunities to pursue your dreams because of your wonderful parents, you father, Charles, who should rest in peace and your beloved mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, who should live and be well at age ninety-seven and I will kept her in my thoughts and prayers. You were blessed with thoughtfulness and a keen intellect with that in mind this made you more mature than others and enabled you to accomplish your job with the high standards of conduct that is expected of all police officers. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

America is a tune that must be sung together. Thou, too sail on, O ship of state, sail on, O Union, strong and great. Humanity with all its fears, with all the hope of future years, is hanging breathless on thy fate. Our fates rest in the many dedicated police officers from far and wide across our great country. You were one of them Officer Cook, a great man indeed, full of pride and a source of honor to your family and friends who knew you so very well. You are greatly missed and to this day genuinely admired for a job well done. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

We are a people with a faith in each other and when we lose that faith we are weak, however heavily armed. We are a people with a faith in reason and the unending pursuit of new knowledge; and when we lose that faith we are insecure, though we be ever so heavily armed. We are a people with a faith in God and a deep sense of stewardship to Our Creator, the Father of us all and when that is no longer strong within us, we are weak and we are lost, however heavily armed with weapons-with atomic weapons-we may be. Let us hope we can be strong in our beliefs and continue to have unwavering faith as you had during your lifetime, Officer Cook. This was what carried you through each and every day of your career, in good and bad. Our children and future generations should God forbid never see or hear of any kind of atomic or nuclear weapon. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Look after from above those less fortunate and help keep strife away from our very land of the free and home of the brave.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white-separate and unequal. And it was your character, Officer Cook, that allowed you to blend and to unify our community. During the time that your life was taken, unfortunately there were racial tensions that existed in the community and it was up to you and your fellow officers to calmly and professionally dispel and bring about peace for all to exist in a serene environment. You carried out these expectations with honor and intellect, far more greater than someone a bit older than yourself and it has been said that you were far more mature than your twenty-five years. This was the reason you were able to prosper and succeed. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. As an officer you have to set aside any biases and carry on with the tasks at hand.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground. This is what makes America so great and special that we have truly moral and courageous individuals, dedicated police officers who are willing to risk everything that you placed on the line that day, Officer Cook and now that your loving soul is always travelling above and beyond the constellations in the sky and you are resting in peace my neighbor, friend and hero in holy ground, always continue to know that you will be held in high esteem.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

It is part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate, to surmount every difficulty by resolution and contrivance. As a dedicated police officer, Officer Cook, it was your job, a large challenge indeed to bring about peaceful solutions to problems that existed in the community you served. Sometimes and for the majority of your time you were able to accomplish this and still without being obligated you displayed courage and commitment until the end that fateful day, serving with distinction and loyalty saving two civilians and four of your fellow officers. What a fine human being and public servant to humbly achieve and with your good name and character you took with you to the next world where you are among God's treasured angels helping Him protect those officers in this world who constantly are waging war on evil and helping to eradicate it once and for all. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me. And yet I swear this oath-America will be! It always will because of bravery displayed by yourself, Officer Cook and those officers who made the sacrifices before and after you. True bravery and courage is not always visible and yet the humbleness of these fine young officers who were willing to go above and beyond the calls of duty, sets them apart from ordinary individuals. Your acts of valor, Officer Cook are what makes us all proud to be living in this great country we call America, where we are free to do as we please so long as it is proper and does not violate the standards set forth by our government. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

An American Religion: work, play breathe, bathe, study, live, laugh and love. You enjoyed taking part along with your wife, Karen in these activities, and being outdoors taking in the wonders and beauty that nature offers, Officer Cook and because of your bravery, this allows us these liberties which we sometimes take for granted. Your smiling face and laughter still resonates from the heavens above. Your positive outlook on life was what carried you on to your achievements during your twenty-five years of hard work and meticulous preparation in all you accomplished. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One nation, evermore! How appropriate on this Memorial Day, when we salute men and women who gave their lives as you did Officer Cook for our country and community so we could live our lives in dignity as you led yours with the same values and character. We salute you for your service and valor. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero today and everyday.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

America means opportunity, freedom and power. To accomplish these pursuits, Officer Cook, you were there for us to serve and protect our rights to follow through on these dreams and desires. You utilized these tools of your profession in a profoundly humble and calming method and that is what led you to become who you were. A top flight officer who genuinely cared for everyone no matter their status. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

America is woven of many strands; I would recognize them and let it so remain....Our fate is to become one and yet many, This is not prophecy, but description. It takes many fine police officers, men and women of true character to make a community feel safe and secure. You were Officer Cook, one of those high character and truly moral officers who went beyond the call to enhance our safety. God determines our fates and you are truly missed, but fondly thought of for giving your life to make Dade County a truly finer place to build relationships and character. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013

What America hopes to bring to pass in the world must first come to pass in the heart of America. It is through your bravery and courage, Officer Cook, that citizens have and are given the opportunities to pursue their dreams. Time never diminishes respect and that is what you deserve for having faithfully served your country and community what grace and dignity personified. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2013