Holly MatkinRome, GA – Rome Police Department (RPD) Officer Jose “Joe” Picon died unexpectedly on April 3.
The 58-year-old officer’s exact cause of death was not immediately released.
The RPD confirmed the loss of Officer Picon in a press release later that day.
“Joe Picon was a real-life hero and a true American Patriot,” the department said.
Officer Picon was a member of the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force for many years prior to joining the RPD and also assisted the Rome/Floyd Metro Task Force during that time.
As a result, he was “considered a member of the Rome PD Family” long before he formally joined the department on Jan. 20, 2017, the agency noted.
“During his years of service in the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, Officer Picon’s primary role was to assist local agencies with surveillance operations,” the RPD said. “Officer Picon had prior experience as a drug investigator and used this knowledge to coordinate sophisticated operational plans to produce efficiency with local agencies.”
His fellow officers described him as a “unique” man who was dedicated to his family, his faith, and his military and law enforcement careers, according to his department.
“His patriotic attitude was contagious and was overshadowed only by his selflessness.,” the RPD said. “It was common for Officer Picon to go ‘above and beyond’ to assist his friends and would not hesitate to sacrifice his time to help others. This trait is made evident by his voluntary service in the military and the service he provided to the community while employed at the Rome Police Department.”
Officer Picon’s memorial service will take place on April 7, according to his obituary.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Rome Police Department Officer Jose “Joe” Picon, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
