Cooper leaves behind 28-year legacy of service

The ink was still wet on Greg Cooper’s employment paperwork, but already he knew that this was “the” place.

“This is the place I will retire from,” he thought as he buckled up his duty belt and set out on a two, nearly three-decade stint with the Cedartown Police Department.

28 years later, Cooper saw that thought come full circle. He ended his law enforcement career in April 2022 and headed out to another beat called retirement.

It was an interesting series of life events and job changes that led Cooper from Coral Springs, Florida to Cedartown, Georgia. In Florida, Cooper took part in a youth law enforcement program, enjoyed it, and discovered he had a passion for law enforcement.

Later on in life, Cooper wound up as a patrol officer for Gwinnett County. And then he was introduced to Cedartown. It seems many good things happened for Cooper here. He was given a job at Murphy-Harpst Home working with at-risk youth. He started a youth camping program that taught kids how to cook on a campfire and pitch a tent. The youth, under Cooper’s guidance, would travel to places like Cumberland Island, the Great Smoky Mountains and Mammoth Cave -- giving children an experience of a lifetime -and memories that are still talked about even today.

Cooper met his wife at Murphy-Harpst. She was serving as a nurse at the campus and the rest is, as they say, history. With marriage, and later, the birth of three children, Cooper’s focus began to shift and he sought out a different path that led him to the Cedartown Police Department.

“Chief John Dean hired me,” Cooper recalls. “And I told the City Manager back then, David Johnson, that I would retire from this place,” he said with a laugh. “I guess I made good on that.”

Law enforcement and youth is a theme that constantly pops into a conversation with Cooper. After all, it’s what gave him his start and so it comes as no surprise that he started the Cedartown Police Department’s Explorers program. The original Cedartown branch disbanded a few years ago, but not without guiding several youth, now adults, into their own successful careers in local law enforcement.

In 2021, the entire county adopted the Explorers Program, and it now includes all policing jurisdictions in the county. Cooper isn’t a bragger and tends to shrug off the spotlight, but you can catch a glimpse of satisfaction wash across his face when he talks about the Explorers.

As Cooper reflected on his years at the City PD, he feels that it’s grown into a department that emphasizes training and focuses on ways to be more efficient and responsive to the community. He’s seen the department take advantage of grants that have led to better officer protection as well as better technology.

“There’s a lot of knowledge-sharing in our department, and that’s a good thing in my opinion. Mentoring younger officers and having a hand in helping them grow and become better employees means that you become a stronger department,” Cooper said. “It’s a real team environment and I have been blessed to work here. I will miss it, and miss the people for sure, but it’s on to the next chapter, the next adventure.” The next chapter will hopefully find Cooper and his wife closer to family.

“We are excited for Greg and his retirement that will allow him to spend more time with his family,” said City Manager Edward Guzman. “At the same time we are sad he’s leaving our city family, but we wish him the absolute best. His dedication has been inspiring and we appreciate his service to the City of Cedartown.”

“It has been an immeasurable blessing to work daily with Greg,” said Police Chief Jamie Newsome. “He is not only 100 percent dependable in his official performance but he is a true gentleman and a friend. The Cedartown Police Department is a better agency and I am a better man because of Greg Cooper. I pray God’s blessings on his retirement.”

A public reception was held for Cooper on Monday, May 9, at Cedartown City Hall.

The original Cedartown Police Department Explorer Post disbanded several years ago. However, there was a strong push to reorganize the post, and so law enforcement from Polk County, as well as municipal agencies came together to create the Polk County Law Enforcement Explorers Post. Corporal Naomi Quiroz is the most active advisor from the Cedartown Police Department. The above photo was taken of the new Explorer Post at a recent banquet held at Petro’s Restaurant.