We celebrated a couple of well-deserved retirements late last week as two of our long-tenured members retired from our department.
Captain Tom Day ended his 32-year career with LakelandPD with a celebration event on Thursday, and Ms. Connie Bowman retired on Friday with over 30 years of service to our community.
As for Captain Day, he was well known in Lakeland for his commitment to physical fitness and competitions. Tom was the driving force behind our highly successful Police Olympics teams and our running teams in annual events like the Corporate Cup Run. He also had a special place in his heart for the Olympians of the Special Olympics as he coordinated our annual Torch Run. Tom served in every bureau of our department, with his last assignment being as a Patrol Captain and SWAT Commander, having been a former SWAT and K-9 Officer. He plans to continue his drive for physical fitness by participating in a couple of international triathlons. We wish him well.
Ms. Bowman was one of those members whose work behind the scenes as an Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Chiefs helped keep our department moving. She was my assistant for six wonderful years, through which she kept me on time and on task. Her 30-year career started in our Records Section, but Ms. Bowman worked as an Assistant to many of our former Assistant Chiefs over the years. I first met Ms. Bowman when I applied to become an Auxiliary Police Officer in 1980, never realizing that one day I would have the privilege of working so closely with her. Rumor has it she will be taking extras trips to the beach now to get some of that wonderful Florida sand in between her toes!
Both of these retirees will remain part of our extended LPD family. We wish them well in their retirements and look forward to many return visits to the police station whenever they want ot come back and see old friends.
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
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