Former LMPD vet who lost son in line of duty shares grief with Cottongim family

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville's police community is reeling from the loss of one of their own this weekend.

Louisville Metro Police officer Zach Cottongim was killed after a car crashed into him on Interstate 64 on Saturday morning.

"Obviously, it's a shock," retired LMPD officer George Rodman said.

Rodman is not only Cottongim's former police trainer at the academy, but a longtime family friend through Zach's dad, LMPD officer Dale Cottongim.

"Zach was out here doing what he loves. He was doing what he was born to do, with his dad being his mentor," he said.

Rodman says like many who grow up with a police officer in the house, the values of service were in Zach well before he joined LMPD in 2014.

"You knew they got it," Rodman said. "They understand the terms like honor, integrity, community service, giving back. It was really a lot easier because they grew up, they understood what all, what the badge meant."

Cottongim's commitment was memorialized with flags at half staff and a blue line flag laying across a police cruiser outside of his division's building.

LMPD FIRST DIVISION TRIBUTE TO OFC COTTONGIM - 12-20-2021.jfif — LMPD's First Division placed a police SUV in front of its building at 416 North 29th Street as a memorial to Cottongim. The public is invited to stop and pay their respects. Dec. 20, 2021 Image courtesy LMPD on Twitter.

Rodman knowing all too well what it's like to lose a son in the line of duty because that's exactly what happened to his son Nick Rodman just four years ago.

"And unfortunately, we share something else now that we hope to God we never had to share, but unfortunately we're in that situation," he said.

The Louisville community lost an officer, but two young kids also lost their dad.

"It's more than just, you know, than losing just a police officer," he said.

Rodman says now the best way to show support is to be there for the family.

"There's not really a lot of words you could say, but I do know that when we went through it the support that we get from the community is huge," Rodman said. "And Wednesday, I would hope that the community would come together and line the streets."

According to his obituary, visitation for officer Zachary Cottongim will be held at the Southeast Christian Church Blankenbaker Campus at 920 Blankenbaker Parkway, from 12-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

His funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, also at the church.

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