LAPD officer killed in Afghanistan roadside bomb attack
SWAT member and US Marine, Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle - RIP

Los Angeles Times

March 25, 2010

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a good opportunity to remind the public around the country that many police officers also serve in our military reserves, and have been called upon for repeated tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan. While they are deployed overseas the police departments they serve at home must cover the duties they'd normally fill by shifting other officers around .. or simply doing without. America depends on these brave and dedicated individuals, many of whom have been wounded or killed in battle, both at home and abroad. LA Community Poling salutes their service.

A member of the Los Angeles Police Department's elite SWAT unit, who also served as a U.S. Marine, was killed Wednesday in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb, LAPD officials said.

Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle, 45, was traveling with three other Marines in the Marja region of the country, which has been the focus of an intense U.S.-led offensive against Taliban forces in recent weeks, said LAPD Capt. John Incontro, who oversees SWAT operations.

Their armored vehicle struck an improvised explosive device, killing Cottle and another Marine and seriously wounding the two others, Incontro said. No other details of the incident were available. Cottle, who joined the LAPD in 1990 and won one of the coveted SWAT positions six years later, is the first active LAPD officer to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, police officials said.

A veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq, Cottle had deployed to Afghanistan in August last year and was scheduled to return home this summer.

A somber mood fell over the department's Elysian Park training academy Wednesday afternoon, as members of the tightly knit SWAT unit were summoned to receive news of Cottle's death from command staff. Officers recalled a friend who stood out even in the rarefied air of SWAT for the intensity he brought to the LAPD's most demanding assignment and the care he showed for other officers who had turned him into one of the unit's leaders. 

Incontro remembered the night in 2008 when another SWAT officer, Randall Simmons, was killed during a prolonged standoff with a man who had killed several people and then barricaded himself in a house. After Simmons was shot and rushed to a hospital, Cottle went from one SWAT officer to the next, helping to calm them and keep them focused on the still-unfolding situation.

“He was a very, very special guy,” Incontro said. “He is going to be missed.”

Cottle was sergeant-major (the top enlisted position) with the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, based at Camp Pendleton. Among his citations was the Combat Action Ribbon, for having been under fire and returning fire.

At Camp Pendleton, his death was announced Thursday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a $13 million training facility to train Marines to detect the improvised explosive devices that are the top weapon used by the Taliban in Afghanistan to kill and wound U.S. and Afghan troops. Brig. Gen. Rex McMillian, deputy commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, with a slight catch in his voice, praised Cottle as a fine Marine who had shown leadership in a variety of assignments since joining the Marine Corps in 1983. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa released the following statement: “On behalf of the residents of Los Angeles I want to extend our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of LAPD Officer Robert Cottle. It is during these times, when tragedy hits home that we are reminded of the dangers our brave men and women in uniform face each day while protecting our country. -- written by Joel Rubin in Los Angeles and Tony Perry in San Diego

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Share a memory about Cottle and read stories about more than 580 Californians serving in the U.S. military
who have died in support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on The LA Times' California's War Dead database.

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For Immediate Release Contact: Eric Rose (805) 624-0572 or Paul Haney (626) 755-4759 LAPPL responds to death of LAPD SWAT officer in Afghanistan LOS ANGELES - March 26, 2010 -- On behalf of all of the members of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, President Paul M. Weber responded to the tragic news that Robert J. Cottle, an LAPD SWAT officer and Sergeant Major with United States Marine Corps Reserve battalion, was killed in the line of duty while serving in Afghanistan. Officer Cottle is the first Los Angeles police officer to be killed in the Iraq/Afghanistan wars. "All of law enforcement grieves today over the heartbreaking news that we have lost a member of our family, Robert J. Cottle, as he served our country overseas. We offer our deepest sympathies to Officer Cottle's wife, who is serving in the Navy, his family and friends. "R.J., as he was known to his friends, was a remarkable human being who died defending the freedom that he so cherished. He was a phenomenal police officer and a loyal American who believed strongly in the cause for which he volunteered and fought valiantly. R.J. fervently believed in defending those who couldn't protect themselves and it showed in his commitment to his community and his country. He was a true hero and patriot. "As a SWAT officer, R.J. was a tactical genius. His military service gave him unique skills that he generously shared with fellow officers. He displayed absolute enthusiasm and focus in every area of his life. His ultimate sacrifice is an immeasurable loss for the LAPD and his friends and family." In addition to his parents and wife, Cottle leaves behind a young daughter. About the LAPPL Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com