Legends of Safety receive standing ovation

By Anne Eickstadt

ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO Belvidere Daily Republican
Former Police Chief Bob Bowley, former Police Chief Jan Noble, and former Fire Chief Dave Worrell received a standing ovation from the crowds as they passed by in the Heritage Days parade.

Editor

The Heritage Days Parade had crowds lining the streets on a bright Sunday afternoon. The floats, the cars, the bands, the marchers all had family and friends cheering and waving along the sidelines. Kids scrambled for candy that was thrown by parade marchers, adults were handed political flyers, and everyone had a wonderful time.

Veterans in the parade received thanks, salutes, and respect from the crowd. Kids and marching bands earned cheers, and political candidates got their due recognition. In all, 74 groups or individuals registered to march in the parade.

One vehicle and its occupants, however, received special recognition from the crowds. Vehicle number eight, the Honorary Parade Marshals, received a standing ovation all along the parade route. This vehicle held Belvidere’s ‘Legends of Public Safety’: former Police Chief Bob Bowley, former Police Chief Jan Noble, and former Fire Chief Dave Worrell.

Bowley was Belvidere’s Chief of Police from 1982 to 1987. He joined the police dept. in Nov. 1968 and retired from the dept. in May of 1996. Jan Noble stepped into the position of police chief in 1995.

Belvidere Police Chief Jan Noble begun his law enforcement career in 1974 as a deputy with the Boone County Sheriff’s Dept. In 1976, he joined the Cherry Valley Police Dept. He became the Cherry Valley Chief of Police and served in that position until Nov. 1995 when he began serving as Chief of Police for the Belvidere Police Dept.

At 38 years of continuous service, he holds the record as the longest serving police chief in Illinois. Upon his retirement in February 2018, Shane Woody was promoted from Deputy Chief to the position of Police Chief to continue leading the Belvidere Police Dept. in keeping citizens safe.

Belvidere Fire Chief Dave Worrell spent 34 years with the Belvidere Fire Dept. battling fire and flood before his retirement in 2015. “As department head, he was always improving and making concepts better for the department,” said BFD Captain Holmes. “I enjoyed working with him. He did all he could to back inspections, water rescue training, whatever the guys needed. He went the extra mile to make…

For complete article, pick up the July 1 BDR.