Lowell Residents Mourn the Loss of Police Chief Joe Landers
By: Cassidy Hodges
Updated: May 4, 2012
The city of Lowell, now asking for support -- after Police Chief Joe Landers died Friday morning.
Just last week he was hit by a drunk driver while on vacation in Panama City, Florida.
"There will never be another individual like him," says Mayor Eldon Long.
A flag flies half-staff in Lowell, in honor of fallen Police Chief Joe Landers.
"This is somebody in the prime of their life that is such an impactful person," says Eric Schein, a city councilman.
A life taken - too soon.
"It's one of those moments that you don't anticipate we're never quite prepared for something like this," says Long.
Last Friday night, Landers was at a motorcycle event in Panama City, Florida when investigators say a drunk driver pulled out in front of his Harley, throwing him off his bike.
"We're all going to have to have a huge void, a huge loss that we're going to have to overcome," says Schein.
For the past week, Landers was in critical condition--breathing with the help of life support.
But at 1:05 Friday morning, he passed away, in a Florida hospital, over 800 miles from home.
"We are going to miss Joe so much but we are just so thankful that our lives intersected here at city hall," says Long.
Landers spent 17 years on the Lowell Police Force and for the past 15, he was the Chief of Police.
"He loved this community with all of his heart," says Sgt. Paul Pillaro, with the Lowell Police Department.
Folks poured into city hall Friday to honor his memory.
"He had the biggest heart of any man you knew he believed in treating the public in the way they deserved to be treated," says Pillaro.
And Mayor Eldon Long says even though Chief Landers is gone, he will not be forgotten.
"He's going to leave a legacy like no other police chief," says Long.
Just last week he was hit by a drunk driver while on vacation in Panama City, Florida.
"There will never be another individual like him," says Mayor Eldon Long.
A flag flies half-staff in Lowell, in honor of fallen Police Chief Joe Landers.
"This is somebody in the prime of their life that is such an impactful person," says Eric Schein, a city councilman.
A life taken - too soon.
"It's one of those moments that you don't anticipate we're never quite prepared for something like this," says Long.
Last Friday night, Landers was at a motorcycle event in Panama City, Florida when investigators say a drunk driver pulled out in front of his Harley, throwing him off his bike.
"We're all going to have to have a huge void, a huge loss that we're going to have to overcome," says Schein.
For the past week, Landers was in critical condition--breathing with the help of life support.
But at 1:05 Friday morning, he passed away, in a Florida hospital, over 800 miles from home.
"We are going to miss Joe so much but we are just so thankful that our lives intersected here at city hall," says Long.
Landers spent 17 years on the Lowell Police Force and for the past 15, he was the Chief of Police.
"He loved this community with all of his heart," says Sgt. Paul Pillaro, with the Lowell Police Department.
Folks poured into city hall Friday to honor his memory.
"He had the biggest heart of any man you knew he believed in treating the public in the way they deserved to be treated," says Pillaro.
And Mayor Eldon Long says even though Chief Landers is gone, he will not be forgotten.
"He's going to leave a legacy like no other police chief," says Long.
