Names on the buses

206 Norman Cooper

Connections with Brighton and Hove : Tribute from David Rowland, Telscombe Cliffs :

I served with Norman Cooper for almost 27 years, starting in the 1950s and onwards until retirement in the 1980s. He was always my boss, firstly my section sergeant, then inspector, chief inspector, sub-divisional commander and, finally, divisional commander. He was one of the fairest officers you could ever wish for. If you had taken a decision in good faith, although perhaps got it wrong, he would back you all the way.

There were some senior officers you had the highest respect for; he commanded my respect more than any other senior officer. On many disturbances in Brighton town centre, he led from the front on almost every occasion.

When Sussex Police took over Gatwick Airport from Surrey, the then-chief constable needed the best man for the job. This was a huge challenge to any senior officer. In the chief constable’s opinion, there was only one officer for the job: Norman Cooper.

In his younger days as a police officer, he had been the chairman of the Police Federation. He knew the job from both the police and the federation side. No wonder he commanded the highest respect from the men and women who served with him.

Sussex Police lost a very good police officer when he retired. Rest in Peace Norman.

206 Volvo Gemini - carried name since October 2022.