Officer Dave Curtis died doing what he loved to do, being a police officer. He went to school at Mobile Christian where he was a valuable member of the football team. He continued his football career at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Dave moved back to Mobile where he attended the University of South Alabama and studied Criminal Justice. This is where he met the love of his life, his wife and best friend, Kelly, while she was at Spring Hill College. Dave and Kelly moved to Tampa in 2002 and he worked for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department where he was a detention deputy and part of the TACT team. In 2006, Dave began work for the Tampa Police Department where he was soon honored as "Employee of the Month". Dave thoroughly enjoyed his work and the challenge of being a police officer and soon became a part of the honor guard. Dave and Kelly have four boys: Austin (9), Sean (8), Tyler (5), and Hunter (8 mos.) and to them their dad is the strongest, most fun dad and a hero to each of them. Dave was so proud of his family, especially his boys, who look exactly like him. He was a wonderful and quiet man with a huge heart. He was simple, honest, fun-loving, hard working, and always made people laugh with jokes and his stories. He loved fishing, hunting, desserts, Alabama football, being a police officer, and most of all being a dad. In addition to his wife and children Dave is survived by his mother Cindy (Hatcher) Warren, father Rick Curtis, grandmother Margaret "Mock" Curtis and his twin sister, Autumn Stradley, her husband, Shane and their three daughters: Jordan, Bailey, and Maren. Dave's partner, Officer Jeff Kocab was also killed that early morning.
====================
"I am the Officer"
I have been where you fear to be,
I have seen what you fear to see,
I have done what you fear to do -
All these things I have done for you.
I am the person you lean upon,
The one you cast your scorn upon,
The one you bring your troubles to -
All these people I've been for you.
The one you ask to stand apart,
The one you feel should have no heart,
The one you call "The Officer in Blue,"
But I'm just a person, just like you.
And through the years I've come to see,
That I am not always what you ask of me;
So, take this badge ... take this gun ...
Will you take it ... will anyone?
And when you watch a person die
And hear a battered baby cry,
Then do you think that you can be
All these things you ask of me?
(Author unknown)
====================
"I am the Officer"
I have been where you fear to be,
I have seen what you fear to see,
I have done what you fear to do -
All these things I have done for you.
I am the person you lean upon,
The one you cast your scorn upon,
The one you bring your troubles to -
All these people I've been for you.
The one you ask to stand apart,
The one you feel should have no heart,
The one you call "The Officer in Blue,"
But I'm just a person, just like you.
And through the years I've come to see,
That I am not always what you ask of me;
So, take this badge ... take this gun ...
Will you take it ... will anyone?
And when you watch a person die
And hear a battered baby cry,
Then do you think that you can be
All these things you ask of me?
(Author unknown)
Officer Dave Curtis died doing what he loved to do, being a police officer. He went to school at Mobile Christian where he was a valuable member of the football team. He continued his football career at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Dave moved back to Mobile where he attended the University of South Alabama and studied Criminal Justice. This is where he met the love of his life, his wife and best friend, Kelly, while she was at Spring Hill College. Dave and Kelly moved to Tampa in 2002 and he worked for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department where he was a detention deputy and part of the TACT team. In 2006, Dave began work for the Tampa Police Department where he was soon honored as "Employee of the Month". Dave thoroughly enjoyed his work and the challenge of being a police officer and soon became a part of the honor guard. Dave and Kelly have four boys: Austin (9), Sean (8), Tyler (5), and Hunter (8 mos.) and to them their dad is the strongest, most fun dad and a hero to each of them. Dave was so proud of his family, especially his boys, who look exactly like him. He was a wonderful and quiet man with a huge heart. He was simple, honest, fun-loving, hard working, and always made people laugh with jokes and his stories. He loved fishing, hunting, desserts, Alabama football, being a police officer, and most of all being a dad. In addition to his wife and children Dave is survived by his mother Cindy (Hatcher) Warren, father Rick Curtis, grandmother Margaret "Mock" Curtis and his twin sister, Autumn Stradley, her husband, Shane and their three daughters: Jordan, Bailey, and Maren. Dave's partner, Officer Jeff Kocab was also killed that early morning.
====================
"I am the Officer"
I have been where you fear to be,
I have seen what you fear to see,
I have done what you fear to do -
All these things I have done for you.
I am the person you lean upon,
The one you cast your scorn upon,
The one you bring your troubles to -
All these people I've been for you.
The one you ask to stand apart,
The one you feel should have no heart,
The one you call "The Officer in Blue,"
But I'm just a person, just like you.
And through the years I've come to see,
That I am not always what you ask of me;
So, take this badge ... take this gun ...
Will you take it ... will anyone?
And when you watch a person die
And hear a battered baby cry,
Then do you think that you can be
All these things you ask of me?
(Author unknown)
====================
"I am the Officer"
I have been where you fear to be,
I have seen what you fear to see,
I have done what you fear to do -
All these things I have done for you.
I am the person you lean upon,
The one you cast your scorn upon,
The one you bring your troubles to -
All these people I've been for you.
The one you ask to stand apart,
The one you feel should have no heart,
The one you call "The Officer in Blue,"
But I'm just a person, just like you.
And through the years I've come to see,
That I am not always what you ask of me;
So, take this badge ... take this gun ...
Will you take it ... will anyone?
And when you watch a person die
And hear a battered baby cry,
Then do you think that you can be
All these things you ask of me?
(Author unknown)
