EDWARD W. KENNEY

JOSE A. COTA AWARD FOR PRESERVATION

LEGENDS BEHIND THE BADGE GALA

2004

Edward Kenney was hired as a San Diego police officer on April 9, 1951, and was promoted to sergeant on March 6, 1959. Kenney brought to the department a strong interest in history.

In 1967 he approached the San Diego Police Officers Association about becoming the official historian of the organization. Kenney was given the job along with a small financial grant to conduct his research. Kenney began by interviewing retired officers, some of which had joined the department as far back as 1908. Kenney also was able to gather a number of artifacts from officers and families and spent the next 30 years making notes and research into the information provided him.

In 1975, Kenney retired from active duty yet continued to devote much of his spare time toward researching the departments’ history.

By the early 1990’s, Kenney had amassed an enormous collection of artifacts, pictures and notes dating back more than 100 years.

Kenney also cataloged the artifacts as he collected them and was in the process of putting the information into a computerized system when he passed away in 1997. The massive collection was later donated to the San Diego Police Museum and comprises the backbone of the museums large inventory.

To memorialize his work and dedication to duty, Kenney was inducted into the San Diego Police Historical Association Hall of Fame in 2004 with the Jose A. Cota award for Preservation.  Sergeat Kenney is the charter recipient of this annual award.