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By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer  

PELHAM – The city of Pelham bid farewell to one of their finest as the Pelham City Council recognized the retirement of Detective Isaac Cruz on Monday, Nov. 18.

According to Pelham Police Chief Brent Sugg, Isaac began his career in law enforcement as a jailer in Boaz, Alabama in 2000. After attending the police academy in 2003, Cruz continued to serve in Boaz for several years before joining the Pelham Police Department in 2009 as a part of the bike patrol unit.

Over the years, Sugg explained that Cruz has been a critical member of the police department.

“As a crisis negotiator, he has countless times provided translation services for us,” Sugg said. “He’s active in the community. He humanizes the badge, doing interviews and public safety announcements.”

Sugg shared a story about Cruz to illustrate how his work as a detective exemplifies his character and dedication.

In 2021, the Pelham Police Department handled a child abuse case involving a six-month-old. The child was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital with brain trauma, multiple rib fractures and other assorted injuries consistent with the baby being stomped on.

According to Sugg, Detective Cruz, with the help of Sgt. Jordan, worked tirelessly to create a two week timeline for the child that included everyone who had access to the baby. After working with medical staff to identify the suspect, Cruz and Jordan interviewed the suspect and obtained a confession. The suspect was later charged with attempted murder due to the investigation spearheaded by Cruz.

“I share that story because, number one, I think the protection of our children is one of the most crucial roles we have in law enforcement, the most vulnerable of our society,” Sugg said. “Detective Cruz is a seasoned police officer, a veteran detective, someone that is so highly regarded in this community, with those peers in the police department.”

On behalf of the entire police department, Sugg thanked Cruz for his service.

“This is a tremendous loss, while we’re very, very grateful that he is able to retire and able to retire healthy. That’s a great deal in this profession,” Sugg said. “We love it that his family is here tonight, and we just want to say thanks to Detective Cruz.”

Cruz shared that although his career with the police department is coming to an end, he will still live in the community and will continue to serve the people of Pelham in his new role as a professional counselor.

“As my father always told me, he was a pastor, he said that you have ministry,” Cruz said. “And I found my ministry in law enforcement, and that ministry is continuing on into being a professional counselor.”

In addition, Cruz thanked the city and community of Pelham, as well as his fellow officers.

“I want to thank the city,” Cruz said. “I want to thank the mayor, the chief and my fellow officers for always being there for me. I’ve had good times, sad times and bad times as a police officer as some of you might imagine. I’m thankful also for the community because if it wasn’t for of our community, a lot of us wouldn’t make it.”

As a former police officer, Councilmember Rick Wash thanked Cruz for a job well done.

“The job comes with a lot of bad, and it comes with a lot of good too,” Wash said. “As you get retired and you look back on it, it’s the good you always remember, and all the people that you’ve helped and all the changes that you’ve made in people’s lives. It’s the little things. I’ll tell you from wearing the uniform myself, what you miss are the guys that stand in the back of this room. That’s what you miss is the brotherhood because there’s nothing else like it.”

Councilmembers Chad Leverett and Michael Harris both took the time to thank Cruz for his contagious positivity and incredible service, while Maurice Mercer recognized Cruz’s family, including his wife, Irene, daughter and son who could not attend due to being in training as a Pelham firefighter.

Pelham City Manager Gretchen DiFante also gave special thanks to Cruz’s wife, Irene.

“Having been a police wife, it is a tough job,” DiFante said. “To show the kind of support that you do for your husband—and Isaac, for you to show it to your wife—and the strength that that you have as a couple, I know that’s because Christ is at the center of your marriage. I really appreciate the energy that you have, that passion.”