Family remembers Phoenix Cmdr. Carnicle during National Police Week

PHOENIX – Phoenix Police Cmdr. Greg Carnicle was a faith-filled man who lived to love his family and serve his community before he was killed in the line of duty March 29.

Carnicle was 56 and a 31-year veteran of the department.

In honor of National Police Week, Carnicle’s family spoke with KTAR News 92.3 FM to remember his life and legacy.

His wife Ann sat at the family kitchen table, leaving her late husband’s chair empty with a note that reads: “Jesus is here.”

“He would not want me to be crying, but he would just want us to keep living life,” Ann said as she recalled their 30 years of marriage.

His family emphasized the passion he had for his job in law enforcement, but also described him as a believer, handy man and a tee ball coach for his grandkids.

“There’s lots of little projects around the house that now my brother and the son-in-law’s are completing because he never got them done because he was doing everything for everybody else,” Carnicle’s daughter Rachel said.

She added that he was dedicated, selfless and always put others before himself.

When asked how she would like her late husband to be remembered, Ann said his legacy is one of faith, integrity and love — for his family, the people he protected and his friends.

Carnicle — who was among the highest ranked officers in the Phoenix Police Department — chose to continue to work on the streets as he was nearing his retirement.

Early in their relationship, Ann said she came to terms with the duty of being a police officer’s wife because she understood the man she loved wouldn’t be himself if it wasn’t for the job that fulfilled him.

“He really loved his job and I loved that he loved his job,” she said. “I know when he wasn’t on detail he wasn’t happy nor were we happy.”

Carnicle is survived by his wife and their four adult children – three daughters and a son – and four grandchildren, with two more on the way.

The night before he was killed his family was given one last reminder of what he stood for: being a family man.

His daughter Rachel described a text message her mom sent in their family group chat. It was a photo of her dad watching a Pixar movie called, “The Good Dinosaur”.

The highly decorated police veteran chose to put a children’s movie on because he missed his grandkids as he was unable to see them due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Carnicle’s life was honored during a family-only service in April, a portion of which was livestreamed on Phoenix Police Department’s Facebook page. The family hopes to have a public memorial service sometime in May.

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