Precinct 4 Police Receive Community Salute

Kevin Desvernine is no stranger to displays of public commendation for the work that he and his fellow Cobb County police officers are asked to perform.

He was recognized in 2010 for his role in helping save the life of a woman at Six Flags Over Georgia with CPR. 

But as he peered into an envelope with a gift certificate at an East Cobb community dinner Tuesday night, Desvernine admitted he was overwhelmed by the appreciation shown him and his fellow Cobb Police Department Precinct 4officers. 

"It's too much, really," said Desvernine at the Olde Towne Club, where East Cobb business and civic leaders gathered to pay their respects. "I can't thank everybody enough."

The dinner was East Cobb's way of saying thanks to its "heroes" during Public Safety Appreciation Week, which began on Monday at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. 

In addition to a dinner organized by a committee under the auspices of the East Cobb Business Association, officers received gift cards from local restaurants, golf outings at Indian Hills Country Club, and even a Destin vacation.

"I don't feel like a hero," said Desvernine, a Cobb officer for 10 years and assigned to Precinct 4 for the last year after serving in Precinct 2 and the police department's narcotics and SWAT units.

"I just show up and do a job."

He serves on the morning watch, which for him means earlymorning, as in "we see the crimes that people don't see because they're sleeping."

It's the kind of work that a host of elected officials saluted along with community members. 

"The quality of life in East Cobb is second to none, but that quality of life is sometimes taken for granted," said Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee. 

"It's hard to say thank you sometimes, but we can't say thank you enough."

Lee's predecessor, Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, concurred. 

"These folks go to work every day, and they're not assured of coming home," said Olens, an East Cobb resident. "They do it because they want to protect their community and make it the best it can be."

Rosan Hall, a co-chair of the committee that organized Tuesday's dinner, said there are plans to make the event an annual one. She and her group are doing the same for the Cobb County Fire Department awards dinner next February, and donations are being accepted for that event. 

Desvernine had special reason to feel grateful for the attention. Tuesday was his anniversary, but his wife had a night class.

They''ll celebrate belatedly with a gift certificate for dinner at an East Cobb restaurant of his choice, courtesy of an equally grateful community. 

"I think we'll go to Aspen's," he said.