Longtime police captain leaving Richland department after nearly 40 years
For nearly 40 years, Capt. Mike Cobb has gone to work not knowing what he’ll face that day. And he liked that challenge.
“When people call the police, it’s for a very narrow skill set. We have to solve the problem that we’re faced with,” he said. “We are the only discipline that never says, ‘No.’ That’s not our job. We can’t say, ‘No,’ and to me that problem-solving aspect has always been appealing.”
Cobb, 63, ends his 38-year career with Richland police on Wednesday. A Kennewick High graduate, he started his career as a teacher before joining first the Kennewick Police Department as a reserve and then the Richland Police Department in 1982.
In his time with the department, he has been a patrol officer, a K9 officer, a patrol sergeant and for the past 21 years, he’s been a captain in the department. While he was in that position he served as the department’s public information officer.
His longest position was as a member of the SWAT team. He first joined what was Richland SWAT in 1985 and then continued as it became a regional effort, according to Richland police. He stayed with the team for more than 32 years.
He also served as state and national SWAT instructor, and took about 1,000 military and police officers through basic and advance SWAT training.
The most fun he had was as a field operations sergeant, because he had the most direct connection with the patrol officers, he said.
“Not that being a captain wasn’t fun, but every step you move up the chain moves you away from the line troops,” he said.
The small town culture of the Tri-Cities is special. He pointed out that Richland’s history being tied to Hanford has lent the police department a community-minded attitude.
“We literally had a keyring for all of the houses,” he said. “All of our first responders have that culture. We work together really, really well. ... This is our home and we care about it a great deal.”
While Cobb is stepping away from the Richland police, he won’t be leaving the world of first responders.
Since the early ‘90s, first his wife and then he became faculty members with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. They help first responders manage the stress that happens in the wake of horrific events.
Cobb and his wife, Terrie, teach internationally, and they plan to continue to do that even after his retirement. Along with that, he plans to spend more time hiking, fishing and camping and spending time with family and friends.
The couple, who met in college, have one son, Jeff, who is a traffic officer in the Pasco Police Department.
“It’s been a privilege to serve as long as I have been able to for an incredible community with a fantastic group of people,” he said.