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Tampa Tribune Photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ

Ex-Marine Robert "Bob" Childers joined the Temple Terrace Police Department in 1961 and served as police chief from 1970 to 1972. He died in February, the result of a brain injury he suffered two years ago in a car accident.

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - Ex-Marine Robert "Bob" Childers' "Once a Marine, always a Marine" manner of loyalty transferred into an allegiance to the men and women of the Temple Terrace Police Department.

"For him, the department was like family," said his widow, Anne Childers, who last week donated several plaques and scrapbooks of photos and newspaper articles he collected during his 11-year stint as a city police officer, including two years as its chief.

Childers joined the department in 1961 and served as its head from 1970 to 1972. He died in February, the result of a brain injury he suffered two years ago in a car accident. Members of the Temple Terrace Police Department paid tribute to him with full honors during his funeral.

His wife's contribution is the first official donation to the department's museum, an undertaking that has been in the works for close to a year.

Cpl. Stephen Sutter, a patrol officer since 1990 who volunteered to spearhead the museum project, is elated to have the former police chief's memorabilia.

"The fact that she's willing to give this collection will enable us to show it to future generations of Temple Terrace police officers," said Sutter, who noted that before receiving her donations the only historical pieces the department had accumulated were a few crime files from the mid-1960s; a photo of the city's first bank robbery; and a photo of A.P. McDermott, Temple Terrace's first patrol officer, who traveled his beat on a bicycle.

Lt. Bernard Seeley, who joined the department in 1994, is assisting Sutter in his effort to establish the museum.

"Our history is something that's been almost lost," said Seeley, who hopes Anne Childers' donations will open up a "floodgate" of more contributions and perhaps display cabinets to showcase the memorabilia.

"It's especially vital for our new officers to know that this job is more than just what they do today," Seeley added.

Sutter concurred.

"We're a sum of what has come before us," he said.

Anne Childers, a Carrollwood resident who had been married to Bob Childers for 15 years, said her contribution was part of her and her 23-year-old son David Keller's healing process. Keller said the childless Bob Childers treated him as his own.

"Turning his mementos over to the city is the best way I know to honor Bob," said Anne Childers, as she thumbed through his collection of photographs of him and fellow officers in uniform, which at the time included wide-brimmed hats. The albums also include assorted clippings about the department's accomplishments and its officers' achievements.

Police Chief Tony Velong never met Bob Childers, but the research he did on his predecessor confirmed what others have told him.

"He was a very good and ethical police chief," Velong wrote in an e-mail. "He brought a new era to the department and was responsible for many of our written first orders and standard operating procedure."

Ken Schintzius, a retired Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy, worked with Bob Childers at the Temple Terrace Police Department for a couple of years.

"I think it's awesome to remember him in this way," said Schintzius, who recalled a time when there were just two Temple Terrace officers working the day shift, Childers and himself. "I loved working with Bob. If you had a question, he always took the time to answer them."

Schintzius also plans to donate a few items, including a 1930s police badge and a 1971 calendar featuring photos of the department's officers.

"Bob was a very innovative person. He solicited area businesses to pay for new badges and the calendar," he said.

Sutter has been in contact with Jack Gillen, the Lakeland Police Department public information officer who began a mission several years ago to amass items for his department's museum. Gillen said he is confident that Temple Terrace can establish its own.

Gillen has collected old photos, newspaper articles and artifacts from former officers and/or family members. Many of the items he has received have been donated by attendees at the department's annual retirees' luncheon.

"We've been very successful with this program," said Gillen, who has four boxes of contributions under his desk that he plans to sort through and add to his department's museum, housed in a room of its own.

Among the most memorable items he has collected is a police badge and whistle from the 1920s.

"It's a great program, especially to honor the old guys, and I'm always thrilled when I get these things," he said.

Velong said his department also has that opportunity to capture the history of "the brothers and sisters that went before us."

"I think it's important that we remember our past and how they influenced our future vision for Temple Terrace as a safe, unique, beautiful city for living," he wrote.

DONATIONS WELCOME

Memorabilia for the Temple Terrace Police Museum can be donated on the third floor of Temple Terrace City Hall, 11250 N. 56th St. For information, call Michael Dunn at (813) 989-7197 or Lt. Bernard Seeley at (813) 989-7027.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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