ENROLLED ORIGINAL
A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
25-267
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
October 1,2024
To recognize and commemorate Officer Gail Adrienne Cobb on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of her tragic death.
WHEREAS, Gail Adrienne Cobb was born in Wahington, DC on August 17, 1950, the
second of five children, and grew up in a row house near the intersection of 14th and D Streets in
Northeast, Washington, District of Columbia;
WHEREAS, Gail Cobb’s father was Clinton Cobb, a correctional Captain for the District
of Columbia and her mother, Gloria Cobb, who worked as a crossing guard at Kingsman
Elementary School and met Cobb’s father at Cardozo High School;
WHEREAS, Cobb was educated in DC schools, including Elliot Jr. High School, Eastern
High School, and the now-defunct St. Cecilia’s Academy;
WHEREAS, in 1987, Cobb applied and was accepted to become a federal police officer,
serving with what would later become the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of
Columbia;
WHEREAS, Cobb graduated with her Metropolitan Police Academy Class in April 1974,
along with 13 other women cadets, forming the largest graduating class of female police officers
at that time in the United States;
WHEREAS, Cobb was said to be well-liked and diligent by her trainers and colleagues,
who commended her for her hard work and service to her community, as evidenced by her taking
sign language classes at night to communicate with the deaf population in our city;
WHEREAS, she spent most of her time on foot patrol work and volunteered for police
training to get a motorcycle license;
WHEREAS, on Friday, September 20, 1974, around 10:30 am, Gail Adrienne Cobb was
killed at 20th and L Streets, NW while in pursuit of two men with loaded sawed-off guns who
had failed in their attempt to rob a bank;
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WHEREAS, Cobb’s tragic death made her the first U.S. female police officer shot and
killed in the line of duty;
WHEREAS, her funeral was lined with hundreds of police offers all standing at attention,
a police honor guard, the Mayor of the District of Columbia (Walter Washington), FBI Director
Clarence Kelley and numerous additional U.S. government officials;
WHEREAS, then President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, called for a moment of
silence at the time of her funeral, stating that Cobb “has our lasting admiration for the cause of
law enforcement and well-being of our society, a cause for which she made the highest
sacrifice.”
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Gail Adrienne Cobb Memorial Recognition Resolution of 2024.”
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia hereby honors and recognizes Gail
Adrienne Cobb and honors her legacy as a true daughter of the District of Columbia community
who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect the safety of the residents of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
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