Eddie Rhodes – Tribute to a real American cop

It is with a deep sense of loss and sadness as well as a genuine sense of appreciation that I pay tribute to a man who embodied the truest aspects of a modern warrior and police officer as well as a very strong competitive shooter.

Eddie Rhodes and I go back 30 years to when we were students at Dan Predovich’s Rampart Range Academy, which was an affiliate of Gunsite Academy.

Eddie was a fierce competitor, and I knew him for his fiery style and take no prisoners approach to shooting. Like me, he viewed competitive shooting as a way of getting ready for the serious business of gunfighting as a law enforcement officer. We competed against each other in countless matches over the years and he was always a pleasure to have around.

He loved to work on the street with his cops and was a real leader; not just a paper pusher. He was always looking for ways to improve his shooting without giving up the street practicality of his gear or his warrior mindset. He helped his officers prepare for the street, often in the face of an administration that didn’t always appreciate his efforts on their behalf.

He embodied the truest aspect of the warrior code: to give of himself to others without expecting thanks, to risk his life for others without looking for a reward and to train unceasingly for a moment that might never happen, but to be ready nonetheless, should his skills be called forth.

He died, unexpectedly, while on a training run and we are the poorer for his passing.

Eddie Rhodes was one of the best American gunfighter cops in the nation. God Bless you, Eddie Rhodes.