Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Strength is not the absence of weakness, but, how we wrestle with our weaknesses. Officer Cook, you took advantage of all the positive attributes instilled by God in you and in turn they served as your strong points when having to deal with hostile situations. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero and guide us with God's strength as we tackle life's demanding challenges.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 28, 2012

The door of success is marked "push" and "pull." Achieving success is knowing when to do what. This was the reason Officer Cook, my neighbor, friend and hero you were that special officer, for which we will always be grateful. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 28, 2012

Dream, plan, work, and have faith in God. Unfortunately, nothing is more common than ingratitude. Man forgets, but God does not. people dream of different ideas. Some to become richer, some such as you Officer Cook, to make this world a safer and more prosperous place in which to thrive. Obviously, you worked to make a living for yourself and your lovely wife, Karen. You both worked tirelessly to make people's lives more comfortable. A dream itself is but a shadow, dreams are the touchstones of our characters. The stellar character with which your performed your official duties was born out of desire and determination to make it become reality. You set your sights on becoming successful and you did not let anything deter your path in life to succeed. Your careers crossed paths, in that as you began as a public safety officer at I believe Jackson Medical Center in Miami is also where you met your future wife, Karen, who worked as a registered nurse there. I'm sure she had dreams and desires and when the two of you got married this was just the beginning. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero and help us to realize as well as rationalize our dreams and desires. Help us each day as we toil in our endeavors. Two wonderful people who made a difference through difficult times and many sacrifices.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 28, 2012

As man goes on searching for reasons, as he becomes better educated he begins to feel the presence of one God. It does not matter what branch of learning he follows. Biology, chemistry, psychology, whatever the study throws even greater light on man's common ancestry and remind him that all humans have a common origin and that, despite differences, all are brothers and sisters under the skin. Officer Cook, you and you fellow officers, men and women who enlisted in the police academy did it for one reason, to serve, defend and protect the public interest despite the inherent dangers. To place your sacred lives on the line daily, this takes a person of sound mind, healthy body, one who is capable of handling the emotional and physical challenges and rigors of the job that display themselves all too frequently. To be able to follow the book and uphold the law during duress according to department codes and standards this takes a very special and unique type of individual such as you were Officer Cook. One can only hope and pray for your colleagues who stand guard protecting us as you and the many men and women who sacrificed their very special souls for our well being. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero as we search for reasons unknown to us as to why such terrible events seem to occur all too many times in our modern society.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 28, 2012

In two reflections I meant to say may your soul now be bound in God's eternal wings, not forbid not bound. Please forgive me. In the other reflection I meant to say you began to stop something that went or had begun to have been wrong. You volunteered to answer a particular call, a domestic dispute of which you were an expert in helping calm people's emotions. I'll always hope and pray you can forgive me for my "Type O's." Evil and irrationality do not fit into the religious tenets of life. It is these two things that lead to baseless hatred and innocent bloodshed. After all there is only one God and the devout such as yourself, Officer Cook, do have a portion in the future world. The sacrifice you made when you performed your duties on May 16, 1979 was because you sincerely cared about the citizens of Dade County with which you took an oath to serve and protect. You took an interest in people from all works of life and for this we shall be forever grateful. You were a virtuous human being, who treated others as you would have wanted them to treat you. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 28, 2012

Wisdom and understanding will give life to your soul. For he who finds me finds life. God has set on our plates before us the freedom to choose between life and good. By choosing to endeavor in good pursuits you my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook were granted a meaningful life. The righteous even in death are called living, while the wicked in life are called dead. Rest in peace in the everlasting shelter of God's wings. My eye and heart shall be there forever and the eyes of God are ranging over all the whole earth with you, Officer Cook, directing them.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 27, 2012

The spirit of God rests with all His creatures. The breath{spirit} returns to God Who bestowed it. God gives us life and so too He takes life. We can't really explain why this happens. After twenty-five years of a wonderful and prosperous life God saw fit for reasons we can't quite figure out to take a beautiful life, a gentleman willing to answer the call day after day to serve and protect our interests up to heaven. Your good name will endure with your family, friends and colleagues forever. Your sacred soul is not bound up in eternal life along with your father, Charles. Officer Cook, you and your father poured your very souls into the work that you accomplished during your lives and now you are both receiving your rewards from Our Creator. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. We salute your valor and bravery forever.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 27, 2012

I think I meant to say, please let me see Your glory. The heart as we know it is the source of life to all living creatures. Officer Cook, you had a heart of gold. A wonderful disposition and spirit who would constantly go the extra mile for others. The understanding you gained all of your life was shared with others in an effort to make them better. Your achievements were garnered through understanding and comprehending the ramifications of your acts. It is said that a hollow man will gain understanding and a wise man's heart tends toward the right hand. I don't know if you were a southpaw or right-handed. You poured your heart and very soul on May 16, 1979 in an effort to start something very wrong. The ultimate sacrifice you made was because your heart was pointed in the proper direction. You loved God with all your heart and now you rest in hand's palm along with your fellow law enforcement officers who were willing to protect and serve. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. You made the knowledge of God the goal of all your actions. You were active not passive. You acted not just reacted. This why God saves a special place in heaven for His angels.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 27, 2012

After watching over you, Officer Cook, these past thirty-three years, the Lord my God will come and uplift us together. All of your comrades and yourself whose rest in God's divine shelter will gather together and the salvation we have been waiting for will be achieved. All of God's works come into being by His will alone. Because you conducted your life according to God's ways, "walking in His ways," God walked along side of you guiding your every movement, and now you, my neighbor, friend and hero you are walking by the light of God. Your efforts Officer Cook were illuminated by the light of God and as you rest in peace, so too the light which radiates above should forever shine down brightly upon us as a blessing and source of inspiration.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 26, 2012

Please let me Your glory. Do not look back. Officer Cook, you rest eternally in God's glory and we are allowed to look back at the rich and meaningful life you lived. Since we do not know what each day will bring, this is why you lived each day as a blessing from God. God only knows why you were called on May 16, 1979. The heavens above where you soul rests is God's throne and the earth where you worked during your life is God's footstool. God remains forever, His throne endures through the ages. Just as God stands over you and your father, Charles, you too stood firm in your beliefs and always gave an honest day of performance. One day we will all be reunited just as the constellations in the sky. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 26, 2012

A ladder was standing on the ground and its top reached up toward heaven. God's angels were going up and down on it. Suddenly he saw God standing over him. The Prophets use two kinds of metaphors, first, where every word of the simile stands for a certain idea. The second, where the simile represents a certain idea. This statement when taken for what one may think it is about is for us to know that you, Officer Cook, are in heaven with your fellow comrades who like you have made the ultimate sacrifice. The angels were uplifting your spirit to the next world and you are being judged precisely as you acted in this world. All of your wondrous deeds performed in the land of the living are now you reward for a job well done. There was a cute byline in this past Saturday's Miami Herald sports edition, and it read as follows, "Cook carries Central." My neighbor, friend and hero, you certainly were one of the Central District's most reliable and dependable officers. Officer Cook, you were caring, courageous, considerate and totally concerned for the welfare of the citizens you were responsible for serving and protecting. Rest in peace under God's heavenly ladder along with your father, Charles and the men and women who should be commended for their sacrifice.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 26, 2012

I imagine Officer Cook, you excelled in science. You were not afraid to explore beyond the boundaries of normalcy. There is a saying that says it is elusive and deep, deep down: who can discover it? Whence does wisdom come, where is the source of understanding? There is a metaphor that compares wisdom to water. If a person knows how to swim, he will bring up pearls from the seabed, but if he cannot swim, God forbid, he will drown. As veteran police officer, it was part of your position to try and instruct other officers how to navigate the dangerous streets where evil permeates. The intelligence that you gained from each experience helped you to pass on this wonderful trait to others. Not many are wise, but you my neighbor, friend and hero listened to advice and accepted discipline in order that you may be wise in the end. Those who knew you, Officer Cook, were truly the wiser in the end. You dreams of being a police officer did not come about overnight, you had to spend many moments preparing for this excellent transformation of a private citizen to a loyal and trusted public servant. Like the ax that became dull, and needed sharpening, so too did you exert more strength to train and attain the necessary mental and physical skills necessary for this arduous profession. Rest in peace and help make us mentally and physically stronger to handle the rigors of everyday life.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 24, 2012

There are concepts that one should be aware of that are within reach of the human mind and yet there exists things that the mind cannot grasp. Understanding certain things does not mean you are able to comprehend them. All powers of the body are equally limited. Some individuals have a sharper sense and greater physical prowess than others. Officer Cook, you had the power to discover and comprehend information that some of your colleagues could not. I'm sure when someone needed assistance, you were there most of the time to help out. You were comfortable in your surroundings and had a clear vision of how to achieve success in your daily endeavors. There were four things that predicated your life of distinction. 1. Direction which your parents gave you and you were able to properly utilize to steer through the events during your life. 2. Devotion to your family and friends, colleagues as well, which enabled you to serve the public with honor and integrity. 3. Dedication to your family and to the Metro-Dade Police Department of which you were a proud and loyal team member. 4. Desire to do the right thing whether in private or while faithfully serving the public trust of which you took an affirmation to do so. Don't act the wise man to excess, or you may be dumbfounded. Your humble background and firm upbringing suggests your intelligence was way above average and allowed you to perform without any preconceived notions. guard your foot when you go to the house of God. The desire both you and your lovely wife, Karen had for each other and the church where you both attended highlights all of these four areas. Your unwavering faith allowed you to have this type of success rarely found in many individuals. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero inside of God's holy palace and assist us in these four endeavors that made you the very special and inspirational being that God placed in His hands and feet.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 24, 2012

Eating as most of us know it means to partake in food or drink. Figuratively eating can be used in the sense of gaining wisdom and learning, for learning nurtures the human intellect just as food nurtures the body. Give heed to me and you shall eat choice food. It is not good to eat much honey. My son, eat honey for it is good: let its sweet drops be on your palate. Know such is wisdom for your soul. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of salvation. You will joyfully receive new teaching from the chosen of the righteous. The righteous individual you were, Officer Cook, is the salvation of your dear and cherished soul that will ultimately provide the redemption that we all seek. The wisdom you attained at such a young age allowed you the opportunity and ability to perform your job at a high level of efficiency and you have taken this to a much greater place. A place where you forever patrol God's streets from above passing down this thirst for wisdom and learning. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. May your heroic sacrifice truly bring about the salvation we all yearn for.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 24, 2012

Like a person thirsty for water, you my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, were always yearning to gain deeper insights in all that your profession entailed. You probably would get out of your police car and assist an elderly person crossing the street. We should all strive to have this attitude. It makes us better people as you were Officer Cook. Rest in peace, you sacrificed yourself for us and life has changed since your untimely passing, but the memories of your wonderful life are always there for us to converse on.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 22, 2012

When a person passes from this world, the first thing they are asked is what did they accomplish while alive? Officer Cook, you can certainly answer in the affirmative. Your commendations you received for excellent police work speak volumes. As an officer, you worked different shifts, and being able to function at night, I can speak from personal experience of the rigors and stress that is brought about by the job. The dangers are lurking every time you put on your uniform and step in your squad car. This type of occupation is what brought joy to you, and your wife and family supported your decisions. I'm just so sorry I could never meet you, but I do visit your grave and offer prayers on your behalf and your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook is always in my prayers. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 22, 2012

Do not seek greatness for yourself and do not desire honor: let your deeds exceed your learning. Do not yearn for the table of kings, for your table is greater than theirs. As I have reflected in the past, Officer Cook, you lived very modestly and humbly. I'm sure you and your lovely wife, Karen, entertained guests at your home. The fine upbringing you and your sister, Nancy had allowed you to focus on your careers. I'm not sure what your sister did, but I'm sure she was a fine housewife to her children. Two of them, Gina and Justin, I had the pleasure of meeting. I met Gina earlier this year at your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook's home, and I cried, sobbed like a baby remembering your life and the sacrifice you made on behalf of Dade County citizens. You were always willing to go beyond what was required of you and were eager to share your wealth of knowledge with other officers to help them serve the public better. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero along with your father, Charles, as you both sit at the head of God's heavenly table.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 22, 2012

Because you served God and Dade County citizens in a first class manner, God has blessed your treasured soul, as you patrol God's heavenly streets. To all who call upon God, He hears their cries and saves them. I personally as your neighbor, friend and hero wished that day, that despite all the medical actions the doctors employed to save your life, could have succeeded and you could be here today celebrating all of your family's milestones and the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. You and your father, Charles are up in heaven probably having great father and son chats as you family looks forward to the day when you are all reunited. Your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, in September celebrated her ninety-seventh birthday, a true testament to good health, spiritual devotion and a life despite family tragedies, one well lived. God should grant her continued good health and a prosperous life, filled with nothing but happy times. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. I hope you and your dad are conversing with my parents, Owen and Bernice Davis. My dad, as I reflected in the past was a thirty-eight year veteran of the New York City Police Department.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 21, 2012

Dignity is due the sufferers, and we deprive them of this by too-easy equations that validate the necessity of their pain. Your family and colleagues have every right Officer Cook to feel wronged, wounded emotionally and angered by the hand life has dealt them. We can never ignore or make light of your bravery and couregeous actions thirty-three years ago in which you without being mandated to, volunteerily answered a call of a domestic dispute and tried your utmost to calm a troubled young man down. Life can be cruel at times, the world even as you patrol God's streets with your fellow officers who have made the same sacrifice as you made, still has evil that present day officers sometimes find difficult to get a handle on. Your expertise was in domestics and your calming demeanor served you well. God has His reasons for taking good people, a young man such as yourself in his prime of life with everything to live for. A lovely wife in Karen, dedicated to making people well, your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, the epitome of a beautiful woman, who exudes dignity, class and devotion to her loved ones, and finally, your sister, Nancy, who to this day, misses you, my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, her darling little brother. Your father, Charles who loved your mother, who loved both you and Nancy and I'm sure made great sacrifices to make sure that you both succeeded in all of your endeavors. You my friend, Officer Cook, did not let anyone down. Your heroism is being talked about this day and I'm certain it too will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 21, 2012

Officer Cook, you were that genuine and special kind of hero who is worth notice. The unique qualities you possessed were: morality, decency, honesty and integrity. You and your sister, Nancy were raised in a very devout home with adherance to the principles of God. A police officer for all they endure need a small amount of bravado. But true courage as you so brilliantly displayed on May 16, 1979 remains the cornerstone of your distinguished career with the Metro-Dade Police Department. Courage itself is a quality in the service of ends, and if the ends be immoral, the courage is no salvation. My neighbor, friend and hero your performance that say was an act of freedom, endeavoring to speak with a troubled young man to surrender and release his hostage, his girlfriend who was wounded by his wanton and callous actions. His cowardly actions cost you your life, despite your heroic actions to put an end to violence that did not need to escalate to the point of no return, or better yet, no turning back. Heroism is a function of vision, and getting one to conform to that which is a normal act of society. For all your actions as a true professional, you should rest in peace, and we'll remember the morals and scruples that defined the life of Police Officer William Coleman Cook, Badge#1664. The decency with which you treated each individual you came in contact with will never be lost in our memories.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 21, 2012

The attributes of God are the groundwork upon which morality rests. God is good to all and the greatest good is that His creatures learn from Him to be merciful to one another. It is the zenith of human aspiration to imitate God's ways as far as possible and appropriate for a human being. This foundation comes from relationship, from caring, and from love. This is where Officer Cook, you were above to serve and protect the public with the help of the community of Dade County. Your concern and compassion for those you served was well known. You were able to train and teach over fellow officers while serving because of your integrity, honesty, and vitality for appreciating the opportunities placed before you. Rest in peace in honor so richly deserved my neighbor, friend and hero for looking out for our best interests during your six years as one of Metro-Dade Police Department's finest officers.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 20, 2012

Although we cannot always reconcile God's acts with our concept of a just God, we can seek to further our understanding of His ways. By creating human beings of free will, God of necessity, limited His own future range of action. Endowing us with free will can be seen as an act of divine love. At times we are confounded and even angered when we can't discern the purpose of suffering or the warrants of evil's targets. During moments of travail, we can find solace in God who identifies compassionately with us in own our struggles. We maintain our faith in God whose will it is that good triumph over evil. Officer Cook, that very day you gave up you life heroically, that tragedy and personal suffering your loved ones and colleagues experienced was able to spur us on to new levels of compassion, creativity, healing, hope and liberation of the human spirit. You death was not God forbid in vain, if anything, we should take the opportunity to expose those officers in training as to how to deal with a particular event that you my neighbor, friend and hero dealt with professionally and so gracefully on a daily basis. Rest in peace and I'll always keep your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, your sister, Mrs. Nancy Tidwell and other family members in my thoughts and prayers.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 20, 2012

The blueprint of God is perfect, restoring the soul, the testimony of God is trustworthy, making simple the wise: the orders of God are upright, gladdening the heart: the command of God is clear, enlightening the eyes. To summarize: It is our duty to encourage others to serve God, whether or not we fully comprehend the spiritual grand scheme of things. If we at least try to recognize that we must try to serve God, at least we have formulated a basis of why we were created. Officer Cook, you were encouraged and seemingly always wanted to become a police officer and the life you so proudly and honestly lived was one we must all strive to emulate. You sank your very being: heart and soul into your job. A job that is of course not only thankless at times but dangerous. You achieved success through patient endeavor and the sacrifice you made on May 16, 1979 on our behalf was because how you personified courage, bravery, and valor. You'll never be forgotten by my family, nor by the men and women who worked with you. Your loved ones can always look back at the wonderful memories of the life you so lived with dignity and heroism. The blueprint you left for us to follow is one of patience and character on how to conduct your professional affairs in a proper atmosphere. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 20, 2012

Thank you for your Heroism Sir, RIP

James Kotke
Civilian / Former Officer
WSF Park Police (Wi.)

November 20, 2012

Even when humanity fails in its obligations of conduct and decency, it does not forfeit Divine concern. There are however degrees and differences.God loves all humanity, but can draw closer to those who love Him. It is those who seek God who have shown readiness and eagerness for relationship. More important than the love of God alone is the human awareness of it. It is this unique love that God made human beings in His image, and a special love is what it takes for us to realize that God made human beings in His image. To love alone in secret is not enough. Love must be fostered among all mankind. It needs to be expressed, felt, shared. When God broke the mold and created you my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, he certainly knew the exact kind of warm human being you would inspire to be. Compassion, feeling, love and appreciation go hand in hand when describing the professional and personal life you exemplified. When in uniform you went out of your way to assist others and off duty you and your lovely wife, Karen personified what it means to care and share with others. You were raised in a devout home where religion was not just preached, but practiced actively with each other. You probably made many friends from the Visitation Catholic Church where you and Karen worshiped. God is of the world, constantly seeing, understanding and listening. These qualities are what guided you through the pathways in both of your professional and personal lives as a police officer and as a registered nurse. God's watchfulness afforded you and Karen, Officer Cook, the special uniqueness to sense when a situation was proper for you to pursue. Rest in peace Officer Cook in God's heavenly shelter and let your humanity, compassion, guidance and understanding flow continually down from above. We could all use some of these ingredients to help us navigate through each and every day that lies ahead. Keep our compasses turned in the right direction, as you have been doing for these last thirty-three years, steadily following our every movement and that of our law enforcement professionals. help show them the proper and decent way to conduct their lives, as you so bravery and with courage and conviction carried out your goals, dreams and aspirations. You were an inspiration to all. You and your father, Charles are now together helping patrol above with all of the officers who so bravely made the ultimate sacrifice that you made, as we try to get a proper balance of conduct and decency in making this world a safer and better place to prosper.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 19, 2012