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Tim
"Mowdee" Laun
FROM TV 10 Web Site
NEWS STORY Syracuse police captain, 44, dies
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
By Sue Weibezahl
Staff writer
A highly decorated Syracuse police captain died of a heart attack at home Sunday afternoon, police said Monday. Timothy Laun, 44, of Pennellville in Oswego County, joined the department nearly 25 years ago at age 20. He was the commanding officer of the Special Investigations Division, which oversees vice and narcotics investigations and intelligence operations. Laun, police Chief Gary Miguel said, "was the glue that held that together." His sudden death sent shock waves through the Police Department, Miguel said. "It's a real hard loss for this community," he said. Miguel on Monday posthumously promoted Laun to the rank of deputy chief. Laun had been a candidate for the deputy chief position but turned down the job, Sgt. Tom Connellan said. "He turned it down due to his obligations to his son," Connellan said. Laun's son is 4. "He wasn't able to give the time commitment. Now, Chief Miguel is giving him the opportunity." Laun held many positions with the department and handled all the responsibility easily, Miguel said. "He was extremely intelligent and hardworking, and he had integrity and honesty," Miguel said. Over the course of his career, Laun oversaw the anti-drug team, was a platoon commanding officer, supervised the direct deployment team, was the department coordinator for anti-terrorism and was a member of the SWAT emergency response team. He won 20 departmental medals, including five medals for heroism and courage. In 2003, he received a lifesaving award from the Ontario Provincial Police. While on vacation in Canada, Laun administered first aid for hours to a woman who had collapsed in the woods. His father, Tom Laun, was a former deputy chief with the city Fire Department. Laun was saddled with a nickname early in his career when a woman on the street couldn't pronounce his last name and kept saying, "Long." Laun corrected her repeatedly until she finally said, "Oh, Laun, like mow the . . ." And his colleagues called him "Modee" from then on, said Lt. John Corbett, who worked with Laun in SID. He was also famous for his huge purple coffee mug, which he carried with him everywhere, prompting co-workers to take it for ransom once and send him photos of it, said Jeff Piedmonte, president of the Police Benevolent Association. "He rose through the ranks quicker than just about anyone in the Police Department and dedicated his life to making it a better department," Piedmonte said. "Capt. Laun lived and breathed police work." Miguel, 10 years Laun's senior, said each time he was promoted to a higher rank, he'd recommend Laun to succeed him. "I'm extremely proud of him," he said.
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April 30, 2006 Timothy T. Laun, 44, Deputy Chief and
Commanding Officer of the Special Investigations Division of the Syracuse
Police Department, died suddenly at home on Sunday from a heart attack. He
was born in Syracuse and attended Henninger High School, OCC, and
Cazenovia College. Deputy Chief Laun, often times called "Mowdee" Laun by
his colleges, joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1982, after two
years of service with the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department. In his 24
exemplary years of service, Deputy Chief Laun has received many
departmental commendations including the John C. Dillon Award, the
Distinguished Service Medal, the Life Savers Award, and the PBA
President's Award. He also received the St. John's
Certificate-Meritorious, Life Saving Award from the Ontario, Canada
Provincial Police for his help in saving a life while he was vacationing
in Canada. He was an instructor with the national Weed-n-Seed program
regarding multi agency task force design and operations. He was also
active in the Weed-n-Seed program in the Syracuse neighborhoods. He was a
former volunteer with the Liverpool Fire Department. He is survived by his
son, William Thomas Laun; his parents, Patricia and Thomas Laun; his
sisters, Linda (John) DeGilormo, Jean (Chris) DeJohn; his grandfather,
Howard T. Laun; close friend, Sheila Davie and several aunts, uncles,
cousins, nieces and nephews. Funeral services are Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
in Blessed Sacrament Church. Entombment will be in Woodlawn Mausoleum.
Calling hours are Wednesday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the
Goddard-Crandall-Shepardson Funeral Home, 3111 James Street. In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Goddard-Crandall- Shepardson 463-4320