Tales From an Urban Chef

My dad is a tough cookie. He worked for 26 years as a Cincinnati policeman. He was a great cop. He was a peoples cop. You recognized his face, you knew his name and you knew his style. If you respected him, the respect was returned.

He knew the true meaning of the balance of justice and bad people were dealt with and good people in need were taken care of. He had the opportunity to retire at 51. After his retirement, he also found out that he was one restless cuss.

Work is a part of his fabric of life. Soon after retiring from the police department, he joined the St.Bernard police department where he has worked for over 18 years as a police dispatcher and mentor for younger cops. That is about 43 years total in police work in one aspect or another. It’s in the mans blood. He loves the comradery, the brotherhood and even the stress of the job because it makes him feel alive. It’s his connection to life.

My dad is also battling cancer which has gone on for a while now. I took a leave of absence from life in Oakland to take care of my dad because I love him and he needs his family there for him right now.

I don’t have a crystal ball on how much time we have left together but I am going to appreciate every minute I have with him this summer. My Uncle Neal video taped a ceremony for my dad on his almost two decades of service as a dispatcher in the St.Bernard police department.

I wanted to thank Neal for taking the time to put this video together and I also wanted to share this with all my friends, associates and family. Please enjoy.