Gentry was Hamilton’s “best known” police officer

Robert Gentry, more popularly known as Officer Bob, was an “icon,” according to Hamilton Police Chief Scott Scrimizzi.

“I’d venture to say that he educated three generations of people,” Scrimizzi said. “He touched the lives of every family in this city.”

Gentry served Hamilton as a police officer, school resource officer and instructor for nearly 50 years.

He died Saturday at age 72.

“My dad was a traffic lieutenant and I can remember every once in a while, and this was back in the 1960s, Bob would drive me to elementary school in the squad car,” said former Hamilton police chief Neil Ferdelman. “When I started as a cadet, we did off duty ride-alongs and I always rode with Bob.

“We worked together for almost four decades,” he continued. “He was Hamilton’s best-known police officer.”

Gentry was instructor of Safety Town for 36 years. He also was the instructor for traffic school, DUI programs and the seat belt programs. He was also a member of the Butler County Mounted Patrol and worked the county fair every year.

Scrimizzi said he had just spent 45 minutes to an hour with Gentry on Thursday. Gentry was classified as a special officer and had to be sworn in every six months.

“He was just an amazing guy,” Scrimizzi said. “I don’t know how we are going to be able to pick up and carry on all these programs.”

Scrimizzi also said Gentry was a regular figure at the Butler County Fair, and people were coming to the police tent with tears in their eyes on Sunday.

“We were trying to put up a collage of pictures of him today and people were coming over and crying at the booth,” Scrimizzi said. “That’s how much people thought of him. He was just an amazing guy.”

Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones said Gentry worked with his father.

“I even called him Officer Bob,” Jones said. “He was a great guy and a great face for law enforcement. If there was a poster child for law enforcement, Bob was that person. It’s a sad loss for the police department and for the city. He is really going to be missed.”

Ferdelman recalled one particular story that reflected just how much of an impact Gentry had on the children he educated.

Ferdelman said one time there was a sex offender loose and they were having a meeting at a local elementary school to inform parents and neighbors. He brought Gentry along to explain exactly what is taught to the children.

“Some of the parents had brought their children and the children had gathered in another corner of the gym away from us,” Ferdelman said. “Bob started telling the parents what he teaches the children to do if a stranger comes to them and says they have candy or something, and almost as if on cue, the kids all yelled ‘Say no and run away.’ That was proof positive to me at how much of an impact he had on educating the children of this community. He was an exceptional guy who had a real gift for educating children.”

A visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Princeton Pike Church of God, 6101 Princeton Glendale Road. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church.

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