Gail Cobb was the first female to die while serving in the line of duty for the Metropolitan Police Department on September 20, 1974. Her parents fought for years to have the D.C. Council name the 300 block of 14th Street N.E. Gail Cobb Way- an action that was finally executed and officially unveiled in December 2020. (Courtesy Photos)
By Micha Green
AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor
mgreen@afro.com
At the age of 24, Gail Cobb became the first fallen female Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer to die while serving in the line of duty on September 20, 1974. However, her parents didn’t want that to be her only legacy and so they fought for years to have the D.C. Council name the 300 block of 14th Street N.E. Gail Cobb Way- an action that was finally executed and officially unveiled in December 2020.
On May 8, family, friends and retired and current MPD came together to celebrate Cobb’s life with a COVID-safe community cookout.
Cobb’s street dedication was a gift to her parents, who wanted to meaningfully commemorate their fallen daughter’s life after it was robbed from her at such a young age.
The 24-year-old was pulling over a person for a routine traffic stop when received notice of a nearby robbery. She went to apprehend the suspect before backup arrived, and he turned around and fatally shot her.
That is why Cobb’s family continues to celebrate the young woman’s life to this day.
“She’s gone and she won’t be forgotten this way,” Gloria Cobb told WJLA, who was 86 at the time of her daughter’s street dedication in December.
The cookout was another way to continue to keep Cobb’s memory alive.
“Love this. Gail,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“Beautiful,” another Twitter user wrote.
