Cebula, a former Southwick police officer for 23 years, passed away on Sept. 21 in Florida. (Photo courtesy of Southwick Police Department)
SOUTHWICK – On Tuesday, the Southwick Police Department announced that a retired Southwick Police officer had recently passed away.
On Thursday, Sept. 21, Ed Cebula, who served 23 years as a full-time officer on the Southwick Police Department, passed away near his home in Florida. Cebula started his tenure on August 25, 1975 and retired in 1998. After that Cebula spent three more years a reserve officer before completely retiring in 2001.
Cebula was involved in several areas of the department, including serving as the Court Liaison officer, which provided the force with guidance on criminal cases. Cebula also achieved the accomplishment of being the department’s first Information Technology officer. Using his knowledge, Cebula would teach officers how to use the department’s first computer system.
A member of the police department for more than two decades, Cebula made a lasting impact on a number of fellow officers.
“He was a caring soul,” said Southwick Police Chief David Ricardi, who worked with Cebula when he arrived to the department in 1987. “He was the ideal person for community policing.”
Bob Laughlin, who is a former lieutenant on the force, worked 23 years with Cebula. Being in charge of a number of officers, Laughlin spoke of how reliable Cebula was as an officer.
“You could always count on him,” said Cebula. “He was always there to back you up.”
Laughlin also remembers the times they shared off duty as friends and always cherished the times Cebula would come up from Florida to visit.
Sgt. Kirk Sanders also has fond memories of Cebula, who came onto the department in 1979 and worked almost 20 years on the midnight shift with Cebula.
Sanders recalled an example of how Cebula connected with the community. In the fall of 1998, Sanders responded to a stove fire on Depot Court and Cebula was the first officer to arrive on scene. Immediately, Sanders helped Cebula pick up a lady who was in the house at the time of the fire and get her outside to safety and for medical attention.
“He was a great guy,” said Sanders. “He knew how to talk with people and handle people.”
