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Retired captain dies of cancer
Kane was Youngstown’s longest-serving chief of detectives.
POLAND — Those who worked closely with and for Capt. Robert James Kane described him as a mentor, excellent supervisor and investigator, and one of Youngstown’s best police officers.
Kane, who had served more than 10 years as chief of detectives at the Youngstown Police Department, died of kidney cancer Monday evening in Hospice House in Beaver Township.
“He was always a kind person, very outgoing,” said Capt. Rod Foley, commander of the internal- affairs division. “We always called him the encyclopedia of the Youngstown Police Department. He always had a quote for you from an old past officer or a tale to tell or an experience that he had in the past.”
“He was always a good person to go to if you were looking for advice,’’ Foley added. He was a “very upbeat, up-tempo guy, high- energy. He’s going to be sadly missed,” Foley said of the longest-serving chief of detectives in the city’s history.
“I will remember him personally as absolutely the best investigator and detective I’ve ever worked with and the best supervisor that I ever served under,” said William Blanchard, who has been a detective since 1981.
“He had been a homicide detective. He was such a good investigator that everybody had the utmost respect for him, and that’s why he was so successful in managing the detective bureau,” Blanchard said.
“You had two losses of two longtime people down here. Certainly it affects everybody,” Blanchard said, referring to the October leukemia death of Capt. Kenneth Centorame, 56, who was the most recent chief of detectives.
“Bob Kane was a very good friend of mine, and it’s really affected me deeply,” Blanchard said.
Detective John Perdue said Kane will be remembered “as one of the best police officers ever for the city of Youngstown.” Purdue remembered his former boss as “passionate and just an all-around good individual” and a “likable guy.”
“He broke me in on this job. He taught me everything he knew,” said Darryl Martin, a detective for 19 years. “He knew how to work with people. He knew how to work with us and how to handle the cases,” Martin said. “If you needed help, he was there for you,” he added.
“The guy just loved Youngstown. He loved the police department. He was just an excellent detective,” Martin added.
Kane, 63, who lived in Poland, was born Sept. 4, 1946, in Youngstown, was appointed to the city police department Feb. 1, 1971, and had retired Oct. 22, after 38 years of service, slightly more than two weeks before his death.
Most recently, he was day-turn patrol commander, but he had been on medical leave for his final 10 months on the force.
Kane was a 1964 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School and attended Youngstown State University. He was promoted to detective in May 1977 and assigned to the narcotics squad before being promoted to lieutenant in May 1981.
He was promoted to captain Aug. 18, 1989, the same day his younger brother, Martin, was promoted to lieutenant. Capt. Martin Kane is now commander of the B turn patrol division, which works afternoon and night shifts.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Church in Youngstown. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Fox Funeral Home in Boardman.