In 1983, after Rob White Jr. had just lost only his fifth professional boxing match—against 15 wins—and was waiting to hear about his next fight, his father, a Pittsburgh fire chief, handed him the application for the police force—and he hasn’t looked back.
In the intervening 34 years, White rose through various patrol and plainclothes assignments in the investigative branch to the rank of Detective First Grade. And along the way made continual outreach efforts to the community, and to youth, using the skills and knowledge he acquired in his previous boxing career.
On Oct. 27, White was honored by his peers, past and present, for his years of service to the city at state Rep. Ed Gainey’s fifth annual Police Community Service Award ceremony. As more than one speaker attending said, he’s still the champ.
“This is important to me, because we often only hear the bad,” said Gainey. “We need to honor these officers who do great things in the community—and Bob is one of the best I know. Thank you.”
When Gainey created the award five years ago, he wanted it to be removed from politics. So, rather than his office choosing honorees, they are selected by the previous year’s winner. All the former winners were in attendance for White’s ceremony, as were co-workers, former co-workers, family and admirers, including Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, state Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District, Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert, Assistant Chief Lavonnie Bickerstaff, and former city police officials Maurita Bryant, assistant superintendent of the Allegheny County police, and Ophelia “Cookie” Coleman, Wilkinsburg chief of police.
“When I first came on the job, you guided me, you mentored me, and I want to thank you for your 34 years of service,” said Chief Schubert. “You may have a hell of a punch—but you have a much bigger heart. Thank you.”
White’s current supervisor in Narcotics and Vice, Sgt. Nathaniel Hawthorne, was one of many who said White was such a good detective because he was a good person who took the time to know people, what they did, where they shopped, played, ate, etc.
“When I want to know what’s going on, I ask Rob because he knows everybody,” said Hawthorne. “He got tips from everybody. We came on the job together back in ’83 and he always wrote everything down—so I made him do all the paperwork. But he always had my back and made sure we always got home.”
Bickerstaff said the same thing.
“I knew him before I came on the job from jogging in Highland Park—yeah, he knew everybody,” she said. “He’s exceptional at community engagement. I remember working undercover with him one time, and I’m looking around—and he’s out talking to everybody.”
Retired Allegheny County Homicide Detective Jimmy Cvetic, who has been using boxing as a means to reach at-risk kids for more than 20 years, said White was one of his biggest helpers and supporters.
“I’ve known him since he was 15 years old. He climbed into that ring 70 times (as an amateur) and he was a champion,” said Cvetic. “I’m glad he climbed out. He made the right choice—and he’s still a champion.”
White thanked everyone for their kind words, and for their support and sympathy at the recent death of his father.
“Thank you, I never expected any of this,” White said. “You know, he got me into this. I didn’t think when he handed me that application, that was my last fight. I thought I would train while I was doing this job. Sometimes people can see things for you that you don’t. He did. He was my champ.”
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