A Sincere Thanks to San Angelo for Honoring Sgt. Korby Kennedy

I would like to take a few minutes to thank many, many people who have made the last few days bearable.  You see, I am a police officer, or at least, a retired one.  I want to thank the citizens of San Angelo for the kindness, compassion, support and the love our department and the Kennedy family have received in the last few days. 

Being a police officer has so much about negativity, that at times we forget that it’s only about five to seven percent of the population that generate about 90 percent of our work.  We forget that so many of us got into police work to help people, to serve people, to make a change, one person at a time.  After some time, many officers become cynical and forget that a large part of the community actually support us.  These last few days have made many of us see that support again. 

Korby Kennedy was an exceptional police officer.  He remembered every single day that people supported us, and that we were the ones who needed to open our eyes to see that.  Korby had a great, positive influence on many officers, all of whom are better servants and people because of his leading by example. 

When we began the trip to take Korby to Lubbock, I was amazed at how many citizens lined the streets of San Angelo to send us off.  We found more people in Grape Creek and in Carlsbad as our detail proceeded north, out of town.  Many were holding signs, blue ribbons, American flags, or even just holding their right hands over their heart.  We also found people lining the streets of several cities on the way there and back home.  The citizens in Big Spring were standing in the rain!

Every county sheriff’s office between here and Lubbock all found the time to escort us up on Thursday night and back on Friday.  We need to especially thank the Lubbock Police Department and the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office for all they did for us while we were there. 

When we were coming back, we were directed to stop and pick up an escort.  As we approached Carlsbad, once again we found people standing waiting on us.  Then, as we entered San Angelo, my eyes welled up as we saw countless people lined up along the route to Johnson’s Funeral Home.  I was amazed that so many people came out to express support for a man that many may have never known personally.

Who knows, maybe most of them did know Korby. He knew everyone. 

San Angeloans organized candlelight vigils; someone had T-Shirts printed, and Adobe Signs made stickers, all in honor of Korby.  When Monday came around, we did the best we could to honor my friend but I will never believe what we did was enough.  He deserved so much more.

I want to thank the many honor guards who came, especially those who participated.  Austin, Ft. Worth, Abilene, Lubbock Sheriff’s Office, Lubbock Police Department, Midland Police Department, and the Midland County Sheriff’s Office.  And to all the officers from other agencies who came to pay their respects, thank you all so much.

I offer a special thanks and recognition to the Abilene Police Department traffic section and Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge for their help at the Coliseum. Sheriff David Jones and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, the Constables, and San Angelo City Marshall’s Office assisted our officers in answering calls during the funeral. Thank you!  I thank the Texas Department of Public Safety, Angelo State University Police, the many volunteer fire departments, and the Texas Department of Transportation. All worked overtime, ensuring public safety by blocking intersections for the procession.

A very special thank you goes to two special Honor Guards: The San Angelo Police Department Honor Guard and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard.  It was a difficult day for all of us, but your professionalism shined through and you handled yourselves very well and performed magnificently!  I had the opportunity to speak to several people who wanted me to tell you how well you did. 

A special thanks goes to the San Angelo Fire Department.  To the ones who were there at the crash scene and to the ones who were at the coliseum on Monday, thank you all.  Thank you to the Cooking for Christ team who fed a large group of people after the funeral.

A very special thank you goes to Johnson’s Funeral Home for the absolutely beautiful funeral and all the special efforts from the personnel.  To Carl White, Steve Kalnbach and the city events staff who helped so much to get the Coliseum ready for the funeral, thank you.  To Shane Kelton and the public works guys who worked so hard to patch up 29^th St. and then cleaned up the Coliseum parking lot before and after the funeral.  Thank you all.

To the ladies from the police department, the spouses association and the other ladies and gentlemen who decorated the coliseum, it was beautiful, and I think Korby loved it.  To Western Audio Works, who came in and donated their time, sound and lights to have the closed circuit system set up in the Coliseum, we will never be able to repay your kindness.  To the men and women of the San Angelo Police and Fire Communications who held it all together, from Thursday through Monday, my very special thanks.

To all the officers from other agencies who use to work for the SAPD and returned on Monday to pay tribute to our brother in blue, thank you all so much.  I have undoubtedly forgotten someone, and for that, I apologize. 

Georgana, Katie and Emi, let me leave you with the innocence of a child.  Tomi told the boys they needed to be on their best behavior because they were going to the funeral.  When Noah asked why, she explained the funeral and the loss. She told him of the love everyone was feeling, especially for you three.  His answer to her was this, “Don’t they know he’s watching over them?”

Most of all, I want to thank the citizens of San Angelo for reminding me of that starry eyed young man, who 35 years ago put on his first badge because he wanted to serve people.  That starry eyed young man found a career here at the San Angelo Police Department and I have never been more proud to call San Angelo my home.  

Thank you San Angelo.  

Korby and I worked long hours together. He called me “Papi”, and I called him “Little Brother.”

Rest in peace Little Brother.  Papi and the SAPD have the watch.

Sincerely,

Sgt. John E. Rodriguez (Ret)
San Angelo Police Department

Below is a video produced by the City of San Angelo Public Affairs team of Brian Groves and Anthony Wilson. About this video, Wilson said, "Brian Groves did all the heavy lifting. We're really proud of this work, perhaps some of the best we've done at a time that deserved the very best we could give."

The video is available on YouTube, Facebook and will be aired on SATV, Suddenlink Channel 17 at 8 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 10 p.m.