A SALUTE TO ONE OF WAYNEDALE’S FINEST
OFFICER CORNELL WILEY of the Fort Wayne Police Department
(A little about our own ‘WAYNEDALE MARSHAL’)
Officer Wiley began his career in the City of New York Parks Enforcement Task Force Division. He attended the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and graduated with honors. He then joined the Indiana State Capitol Police. On December 5, 1995, Officer Wiley joined the Fort Wayne Police Department and is currently assigned to the Waynedale area. Since then he has been nicknamed “The Waynedale Marshal”. In his spare he listens to jazz music, rides a motorcycle, and is an air personality on Z102.3 FM.
Officer Wiley at ‘Ground Zero’ – THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
“NO BOUNDRIES” (In his own words)
On 9/11/01, I started my patrol in Fort Wayne at 0530 AM. It was starting out just like any other day but then suddenly, it and my whole life, changed. I received a telephone call from a relative back home. He told me a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I went to several locations looking for people watching a TV. When I finally found one and watched it, I could not believe what I saw. Just then another plane hit the World Trade Center #2 building.
Like a concerned parent, I called as many of my relatives back home that I could. I found that two of them were missing. I kept a vigil but I remained calm; as a police officer I was trained to do this. Not being able to just sit back and wait for very long, I took my vacation time and headed to what was left of the Big Apple to help out.
As I neared ‘Ground Zero’ I could see volunteers with signs, several of which contained a single word, “Thanks”. When I arrived at G.Z., I was met by my old Parks Police Chief, Reeves; I asked, “Where do you want me?” He smiled and told Mayor Guliani and Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, “We’ve got Fort Wayne Police Officer Wiley here to help.
After working 12 hours assisting relatives and helping the recover team, I realized that it was something I could not describe in words. While I was there, I came to the realization that my two missing relatives had perished right here at the World Trade Center.
The New York Police Department gave me a hat that I will cherish forever. It is displayed proudly on my mantle. Since that incident occurred I will never forget all those other officers whom I assisted. They came from other far away parts of this great country to help out. This former New Your Officer went back home when the call of tragedy came. I answered, I arrived, and I did my duty. Why? Because it was my job.
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