Former Laurel Police Chief Archie Cook, who as a Laurel police officer aided Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace after an assassination attempt in the Laurel Shopping Center in 1972, died March 21 in Pennsylvania.
Cook was a program coordinator for the Leadership Development Institute at the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions in Sykesville.
He lived in Fayetteville, Pa., with his wife, Deborah.
Cook was assigned to watch the crowd when Wallace, then the Alabama governor whose views on race and segregation were becoming more unpopular, made his campaign stop in Laurel on May 15, 1972. As Wallace shook hands and greeted the crowd after delivering a speech, Arthur Bremer stepped forward and fired at the candidate, shooting Wallace and three others, who all survived. Cook threw himself on top of the wounded and bleeding Wallace to shield the candidate while other security officers held Bremer in a head lock.
Bremer was convicted in the assassination attempt, which left Wallace paralyzed from the waist down. After serving 35 years, Bremer was released from prison in 2007.
Cook began his career with Laurel police in 1966 and spent six years in the Criminal Investigation Division. He was instrumental in drug enforcement programs, which led to arrests and drug confiscations in Laurel.
In 1970, Cook was a member of the first graduating class of the Bureau of Narcotics Special Agents School. He was named field supervisor of Laurel's Uniformed Division and was promoted to sergeant in 1976.
Promoted to lieutenant in 1981, Cook was named Laurel police chief in 1987 by then Mayor Dani Duniho, replacing Robert Kaiser, who had served as chief since 1964.
A native of Washington, D.C., Cook graduated from Northwestern High School and attended the University of Maryland. He served four years in the Coast Guard. After joining the Laurel Police Department, he graduated from the Maryland State Police Academy.
After his retirement from the Laurel Police Department, Cook was a security officer at Laurel High School and later a private detective.
"He set the city on the right path," Laurel Police Chief Richard McLaughlin said of Cook's tenure.
In an interview with the Laurel Leader after assuming the chief's position, Cook said he would continue to rely on a personal philosophy: "Treat people the way you wish to be treated — and be fair. If you apply these two things, you'll never have a problem."
According to Connelly Funeral Home of Dundalk, 7110 Sollers Point Road, visitation will be held there on Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with interment following at Gardens of Faith Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St Jude's Children Hospital , 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
This story has been updated.