Every great once in a lifetime someone comes along who makes such an impression they are never forgotten, no matter the years or distance.
Such was the case with Jimmy. When we moved to SW Little Rock when our children were toddlers, we sort of inherited Jimmy. Now Jimmy had his own doting family Lowell, his dad, a LR police officer and his mom Beverly and big sis Dana but he spent so much time in our yard, we considered claiming him as a dependent.
My husband had a part-time job with Seven-Up Bottling Co and our house had an endless flow of soda pop. It soon became the destination of summer time activity for the youngest children in the neighborhood as well as their moms. Those were the good
ole days when sugary drinks and snacks were acceptable and most of us moms rocked our babies to sleep while smoking cigarettes.
Jimmy was a skinny little blue eyed blond with a perpetual smile on his face. His eyes crinkled at the corners and his cheeks were always pink from running and playing. In summer, his hair was usually plastered to his head with sweat....he learned that this would usually earn him a bottle of his favorite soft drink, Grape Crush. If he didn't look hot and sweaty he resorted to helping make his case by dousing his head under the water faucet and it usually worked!
Our backyard had a great slope and the kids loved to coast down it on their tricycles and other riding toys. They would come to a jolting stop against the chain link fence at the bottom. Jimmy first earned my devotion by gently helping my toddlers onto the ride of choice and then hanging on to the ride so they never got the jolting impact from the chain link fence. No one ever asked him to do this but what a sweet thing for a little boy to do.
As the kids grew older, Jimmy was my "go to" guy. I could always depend on him to be honest and truthful. He was my daughters' hero. Although he was ahead of them in school, I knew he would watch over them. The last time I saw Jimmy was at his HS graduation in 1986. He joined the Marines straight out of HS. My daughters kept in contact with him sporatically over the years. Then with the advent of the internet ie.,MySpace, Facebook and Texting allowed my daughters and Jimmy to stay in closer contact.
This past summer, Jimmy and his three daughters were making a trip back to Arkansas in a red Mustang convertible. My older daughter and her family were simultaneously heading to Florida for vacation. She and Jimmy were texting. At one point he texted that two of his daughters had already received speeding tickets and he was waiting for the third to get hers. Jimmy used to drag-race at a local racetrack near Vallejo. His car was painted up like an old black and white cruiser. His sponsor was Daylight Donuts! LOL!
After the Marines, Jimmy joined the CHP and later the Vallejo police Dept. but stayed in the reserves until around 1992. When his children were young he started an AAU basketball team because his daughters wanted to play. His daughters were affectionately known as "the little Marines". He was later asked to be the Assistant Varsity Girl's basketball coach at Vaccaville High. Later he became the Varsity coach at Vallejo High. He guided the team to a Championship his second year. He held this position along with being a Vallejo police officer, until he and wife Jennifer's best friends were killed in a motorcycle accident. They took in their best friend's kids and he resigned the coach's job to spend more time with those children.
On Nov. 17, 2011, we were notified that Jimmy had been shot and killed while pursuing a bank robber "Officer Capoot pursued the suspect vehicle through a residential area, where he executed a PIT maneuver and disabled the suspect vehicle. He pursued the suspect on foot until he was shot several times while in the back yard of a residence." Jimmy was shot in the back. We learned the shooter had a prior felon.
We were devastated. My daughters inconsolable. For the next few weeks, through Thanksgiving and Christmas I became slightly obsessed reading the online articles written about Jimmy. Googling his name along with Vallejo Police brings up over 400,000 hits. It helps that he was so loved and respected by others.
What finally ended my obsession with reading these online tributes were the disgusting, hateful posts interspersed between the sympathetic offerings of others. What drives people who never knew a person to write such things? "Damon says, he prolly deserved it, cops just want power." "JustinOh, says, oh boo hoo, stupid
cops ruin a lot of lives". "Shalee, One less cop hiding behind a hill to catch you going five miles over the speed limit." These were not the worst. What happened in these
people's lives to make them so devoid of compassion?
Officer Capoot was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served the Vallejo Police Department for 19 years and had previously served with the California Highway
Patrol for two years. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.
Officer Jim Capoot
After joining the Marines at age 17 in 1986, then joining the California Highway Patrol in 1990, Officer Jim Capoot joined the Vallejo Police Department in 1992, according to the Vallejo Police Officers Association newsletter.
During his career with Vallejo police, Capoot received two Medals of Courage, two Life-Saving Medals and various other departmental recommendations. Capoot also saved the lives of two people by administering CPR, said the VPOA.
Over the past 10 years, Capoot supervised the Vallejo Junior Safety Patrol program, teaching children to act as crossing guards throughout the city, He helped train over 500 children.
Capoot is survived by his wife Jennifer and three daughters.
From http://vallejopoa.typepad.com/VPOAMagazine-Issue2.pdf
Jim was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, where his father worked as a Police Officer for the City of Little Rock for 20 years. Jimʼs mother was a well respected
and busy accountant, but that didnʼt stop Jim from excelling at track and field, cross country, and football while in high school. After graduation, Jim followed in his fatherʼs footsteps and joined the United States Marine Corps at age 17.
Jim was posted to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in 1986 where he served in the Marine detachment securing the islandʼs nuclear facilities and other strategic areas. In April 1986, he earned his small arms instructorʼs qualification and had the distinction of being the last Marine to stand guard at Mare Islandʼs main gate.
While stationed in Vallejo, Jim met and married his wife, Jennifer, a Vallejo native. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Jim once
again followed in his fatherʼs footsteps and became a police officer, beginning his law enforcement career with the California Highway Patrol in 1990. In 1992, Jim left the CHP to become a Police Officer for the City of Vallejo. Jim was happy to return to Vallejo based upon his past experiences here and also his wifeʼs desire to be close to her family, who have called Vallejo home since 1933.
Over the course of his career, Jim has served as a motorcycle officer, motorcycle instructor, driving instructor, force options instructor, and SWAT officer. He has received two Vallejo Police Department Medals of Courage, two Life-Saving Medals, and various other departmental commendations, including recognition for saving the lives of two people by administering CPR.
Jim has won two gold medals representing the Vallejo Police Department at the Police Olympic Games in the motorcycle competition. The medal victories occurred with his partners, Vallejo Police Corporal Kevin Hamrick and Officer Gordy Moore, in both the 2000 and 2005 games. In 2000, Jim was awarded Vallejo Police Departmentʼs first annual Jeff Azuar Officer of the year award. Jim remains very proud of being selected by his peers to receive this inaugural award commemorating the life and local athletes. These AAU teams compete against other AAU teams across the nation.
Even in these economically trying times, cuts to the police force, and pay reductions, Jim still believes that the Vallejo Police Department is a great place to work. Jim remains proud to wear the uniform and is very proud to continue to serve with the professional and dedicated officers of the Vallejo Police Department.
Tour: 21 years
Badge # 497
Military veteran
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 11/17/2011
Weapon: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect: Apprehended
Police Officer
James Capoot
Vallejo Police Department, California
End of Watch: Thursday, November 17, 2011
RIP Jimmy.
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.... 
What an exemplary distinguished life. It's apalling how it was cut so short.
I'm very sorry your family lost such a wonderful friend.