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Community gathers to honor Chief Rick McCubbin for a career of public service

 

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Former Bardstown Mayor Bill Sheckles speaks with Chief Rick McCubbin at McCubbin’s retirement party Friday at American Legion Post 167.

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

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Chief Rick McCubbin receives his retirement police badge from his mentor, Jefferson County Sheriff John Aubrey.

Saturday, May 28, 2016, 11 a.m. — Members of the community were joined Friday night by co-workers, former co-workers, family and friends to honor the 28 years of public service of retiring Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin.

The night of smiles, hugs, food and bittersweet emotions were framed against the backdrop of stories by those know McCubbin best — the members of his professional and personal families, including his children and his professional mentor, Jefferson County Sheriff John Aubrey.

McCubbin’s career of uniformed service began not in law enforcement, but as an EMT. He also worked as a firefighter before he became a police officer with the Louisville Police Department.

Bardstown Police Chaplain Tom Mobley said one of his first incidents he was called to as a Louisville Police chaplain was an incident involving a police officer who had put himself in the line of fire in order to pull a wounded fellow officer to safety.

“The guy who did that was Rick McCubbin,” he said.

Mobley said he and McCubbin became good friends after that. He called McCubbin one of the best police chiefs he had worked with during his 47 years of service as a chaplain.

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CHAPLAIN TOM MOBLEY

McCubbin’s children — Aaron, Adam and Sarah McCubbin — gave the crowd unique insights on what life was like growing up with a police officer Dad.

Aaron McCubbin said he and his siblings knew to expect to be questioned anytime they planned to leave the house — and later, to expect a line of questions directed at his sister Sarah’s dates when they came to the family’s home to pick her up.

Knowing his father’s passion for public service, Aaron McCubbin said there were already bets that their father’s retirement wouldn’t last longer than a month.

He called his father outspoken but sincere.

“His motto has always been ‘I tell you want you need to hear, not what you want to hear,’ ” he told the crowd.

Following 15 years of service with the Louisville Police Department, he was asked to serve as a U.S. Marshal during the administration of President George W. Bush — an honor that required him to travel internationally with obtain top secret clearances.

“For whatever reason he traveled to Turkey, and he’s never told us what that was for,” Aaron McCubbin said. “One of these days I’m going to get it out of him.”

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Aaron McCubbin, right, speaks about his father, Chief Rick McCubbin, while siblings Adam and Sarah McCubbin look on.

Adam McCubbin’s comments echoed his brother’s in regarding their father’s dedication to public service.

On his beat in Louisville’s West End, his father frequently helped people in need, from food to help paying a bill, he would do what he could, he said. One year he went so far as to buy Christmas for an entire family.

Adam McCubbin said as a police officer’s son, he learned that his father’s work wasn’t just a job or a career, but it his calling.

“Dad has shown us this since Day One,” he said.

Sarah McCubbin said she has often been asked “Doesn’t it suck to be the chief’s daughter or the daughter of a cop?”

“Although stressful at times, I’ve always loved knowing my Dad is one of the good guys, one of the uniformed heroes who keep our streets safe,” she said.

Despite the series of events that led up to her father’s retirement, she encouraged the crowd to celebrate the occasion.

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The police-theme retirement cake for Chief Rick McCubbin’s party Friday night.

One of McCubbin’s former partners, David James, a current member of the Louisville Metro Council, told a series of stories about he and McCubbin’s service as officers and leaders in the Louisville Police Fraternal Order of Police lodge.

James said he believed McCubbin’s future is bright, “no matter if he’s chief of police of Bardstown, Kentucky or if he decides to be the next mayor of Bardstown.”

The night’s most poignant moment came when McCubbin’s police mentor, Jefferson County Sheriff John Aubrey, rose to speak about the young man he ushered into law enforcement nearly 29 years ago.

At the time Aubrey was second-in-command at Louisville Police Department when McCubbin joined as a rookie officer in 1988. Aubrey swore McCubbin in and gave him his first badge. At Friday’s retirement party, he was there to bring McCubbin’s career full circle and presented the outgoing chief with his retirement badge.

Over his years in leadership in law enforcement Aubrey said it is common for new police recruits to say they want to be in law enforcement in order to serve their communities.

“In my opinion, Cubby is the epitome of what that service is,” he said, adding that McCubbin could be a role model for those seeking a life of public service.

“Regardless of what has happened recently in this community, you still have plenty to be proud of in this community,” he said.

Aubrey said he didn’t think McCubbin’s retirement would be the end of his public service career.

“Whatever it may be, he will continue to practice integrity, service and professionalism,” he said. “My personal belief is that as long as God lets him live, he will continue to serve.”

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Chief Rick McCubbin poses with a campaign sign suggesting he run for mayor of Bardstown in 2018 at his retirement party Friday.

After Aubrey presented McCubbin with his retirement badge, it was McCubbin’s turn to talk about his career and the many friends and influences who helped guide him through the years.

McCubbin said Sheriff Aubrey was truly a mentor, and he talked with him frequently through the years for his counsel and advice.

The community outpouring of support for his retirement party was humbling, McCubbin said. The event was funded solely by donations from local businesses and individuals.

He acknowledged that the timing of his retirement wasn’t how he had envisioned it would come together.

“I had hoped to go 30 years, but sometimes politics gets in our way,” he said. “And you don’t always have to like it, but I respect it.”

McCubbin didn’t apologize for being vocal about the incidents that prompted his decision to retire, and he acknowledged that many in the community were unhappy with how events unfolded.

“I’m not going to be your figure head, that’s not me,” he said, referring to the impact of Mayor John Royalty’s police department restructuring had on his role as police chief. “But if this is the direction things need to move, I respect that. And obviously, I knew it was time for me to move on.”

McCubbin said his last act as chief was to attend the graduation of Jarren Culver, the city’s newest police officer, Friday at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.

“I know there’s a bright future here in Bardstown,” he said, adding “Who knows, I might be part of it in a year or two” — referring to a sign unveiled earlier in the night supporting McCubbin for mayor of Bardstown in 2018.

He admitted that serving as an officer in Bardstown was never in his plans. He selected Bardstown as a place to live because it was where he wanted to raise his family. He said he felt honored to have accepted as a “brought-in” to the community.

He again thanked the community for its support during the Bardstown Police Department’s darkest hours following the murder of Officer Jason Ellis.

McCubbin said he isn’t sure what his immediate plans are. He expressed his appreciation for the love and support of his family and his fiance, Dr. Tara Tuttle, a professor at St. Catharine College.

“I’m not leaving mad,” he said referring to the events that led to his retirement. “I’ve taken the high road throughout my entire career, and I’m not going to let this bullshit collapse my profession.

“As I move on to that next chapter — whatever that may be — Bardstown is going to have a huge spot in my heart.

“This has truly, truly been an honor, and Bardstown I thank you — you haven’t seen the last of me.”

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