Cohn remembered as compassionate police officer
Cohn \'was the epitome of a good man\'
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Former Altoona, Allegheny Township and Penn State Altoona police officer Christopher Cohn consistently demonstrated understanding and kindness, especially with people who were having a hard time, according to those who knew him, speaking this week after Cohn's death Sept. 23 at age 72.
Cohn's behavior as a cop explains why the Blair County Emergency Services Chaplain Platoon "grabbed hold" of him upon Cohn's retirement from Penn State Altoona, said platoon leader Mike Blackie.
Cohn was a devout Christian, and modeled his behavior after Jesus, according to Blackie.
His experience as a police officer frequently dealing with people in pain probably helped sensitize Cohn to the need for compassion -- like the compassion platoon members show to first responders and their families when those responders have been involved in traumatic situations, according to Blackie.
Many people whom police typically encounter aren't getting compassion anywhere else, Blackie said. That includes individuals who've been "left to themselves," whom "nobody care(s) too much about" and who "didn't have a strong social life or family life," Blackie said.
For a good police officer like Cohn, those encounters presented opportunities, Blackie said.
"Somebody is hurting, you should be doing something to help," he said.
It doesn't necessarily involve speaking, according to Blackie, citing an example from Cohn's work with the platoon.
The group was on a case, in the aftermath of some troubling incident.
Cohn "noticed that one of the family members was not doing so good," Blackie said.
"He walked over and took his hand and put it on their shoulder," Blackie said.
Neither Cohn nor the person he was trying to comfort said anything.
"His (very) presence was calming enough," Blackie said.
Cohn "had a heart for people," said Aimee Burns, executive director of the Blair County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
"I don't think he ever met a person he didn't like," Burns said of Cohn, a participant in her organization.
His caring was likely honed by his experience as a police officer, where "I'm sure he saw a lot of people in different types of crisis, including mental health
crises," Burns said.
"It touched his heart," she said.
At one event, Burns saw Cohn interact with a little boy who was struggling with some issue, she said.
He reassured the kid that it was OK to talk about whatever was bothering him, and that people would continue to love him anyway, Burns said.
The kid went "from borderline tears to a big smile," she said.
He habitually tried to "lift people up," Burns said.
Troy Johannides served with Cohn in the Altoona Police Department, at Penn State Altoona and in the chaplaincy.
When someone appeared to be troubled, Cohn would often say, "Let's get a cup of coffee," Johannides said.
"I had coffee with him a couple times," Johannides added.
"It was plain to see he held those tight Christian values," said John Roefaro, who served with Cohn in the APD. "He was the epitome of a good man."
Cohn was his superior and a mentor, Roefaro said.
Like a good teacher, Cohn had a way of correcting mistakes or problems that, while direct, didn't involve yelling, belittlement or anger, Roefaro said.
He was a father figure, providing "great, calm advice," Roefaro added.
He was also knowledgeable about the rules of criminal procedure and the crimes code, leavened by awareness of "Christian morality," Roefaro said.
"It was my honor to be called his friend," said Mitch Cooper, who served with Cohn in the APD and the chaplaincy.
Cohn and Coopers were hired by the APD on the same day in July 1982 and worked the midnight shift together, Cooper said.
"You could count on him backing you up when needed," Cooper said.
Cohn had a good, but dry, sense of humor, according to Cooper and Johannides.
He was a bit of a "pot-stirrer," Johannides said.
"He was a lot of fun to be around," and he valued and promoted the camaraderie common in police departments and the military, according to Johannides, who served in the Army.
Cohn was in the Navy, where, according to a family member, he "blossomed," Johannides said.
"I wish there were a thousand more like him," Burns said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.