July 19. By Dave Vieser. A ceremony honoring brothers Jeff and Tim Ramsey who are retiring after 56 years of combined service to the Cornelius Police Department morphed into words of praise and warm gratitude for all the town’s men and women in blue at the July 18 Town Board Meeting.
The initial honors were bestowed upon Captain Jeff Ramsey, who has served the town longer than any other full time officer. He is retiring August 1.
“Jeff has served our department in nearly every capacity,” said Police Chief Bence Hoyle, “and he has been a positive role model and leader for many officers during their career, including me. His experience and knowledge are valuable assets which will be truly missed.”
“There’s a lot going on in the world right now. We all know that 99 percent of police officers are good, and there’s a small percentage that always test the small percentage of the population trying to create issues. The officers that work for this town are absolutely some of the best people I have ever worked with. They are what Cornelius is all about,”
– Bence Hoyle, Cornelius Police Chief
During his quarter century of service, Captain Ramsey served as Patrol Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, Field Operations Captain, and his current assignment of Support Services Captain. He is certified by NC Criminal Justice Training and Standards as a General Instructor and a Specialized Firearms Instructor. He holds both his Intermediate and Advanced law enforcement certificates and graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2010.
Also receiving honors was Jeff’s brother Tim Ramsey, who joined the department in 1985 as a part-time officer. “Tim worked full time out of town but spent weekends and holidays working various shifts. He now plans to spend some well-earned quality time with his family. Through the years he has served as a mentor and friend to many officers. His long standing career is a testimony to his dedication for this profession and he will be sorely missed too.”
The town board then presented each officer with an official resolution of thanks on behalf of all residents, as well as their official service revolver and police badge. And it was here where Chief Hoyle got even more emotional:
“There’s a lot going on in the world right now. We all know that 99 percent of police officers are good, and there’s a small percentage that always test the small percentage of the population trying to create issues. The officers that work for this town are absolutely some of the best people I have ever worked with. They are what Cornelius is all about,” Hoyle said.
