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The men honored Wednesday as Duluth's police officer and firefighter of the year both credit their fathers with setting examples they followed. "He always said if you're going to commit to doing something, be the best," Police Officer Rob Hakala said, referring to his late father. "We're working at it, Dad."

Fire Department Capt. Chad Cooke asked his father, Doug Cooke, to come to the podium during the award ceremony at the Radisson. Doug Cooke was a Duluth firefighter for 30 years, retiring as a fire equipment operator in 1998.

"He set the example of a firefighter," the son said of the father. "He was tough and knew his job. I just want to thank you."

The two men were honored at the noon meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth. The club has honored Duluth's firefighter and police officer of the year for several years.

Chad Cooke's award was well-deserved, Doug Cooke said.

"He works hard at what he does," he said. "He doesn't have to work that hard."

In introducing Chad Cooke, Fire Chief John Strongitharm said Cooke has proven himself to be a hard-working, professional and caring firefighter.

"While he may have been selected on those merits alone, he stands out because of his involvement in the community," Strongitharm said, noting Cooke's work as the department's Muscular Dystrophy Association coordinator.

"For decades the fire services has had a close relationship with MDA," Strongitharm said. "This work does not get done without having a leader with the passion and commitment to help children."

Cooke helped organized last year's MDA golf event, which raised more than $14,000 for the charity.

"It's been a fun adventure with the MDA," Cooke said before Wednesday's event.

Cooke, 36, has been on the department for nine years and a captain for two. He grew up in Duluth, and graduated from East in 1990. He and his wife, Sheri, have two sons.

Deputy Police Chief John Beyer introduced Hakala.

"Rob has an outstanding work ethic and has established himself as both a formal and informal leader in the department," Beyer said.

Beyer noted that Hakala trains new officers and is one of the department's uniformed crime scene investigators. Beyer mentioned two cases for which Hakala has received commendations. In the first, he and other officers responded to a sexual assault. Their work led to the arrest and conviction of a suspect who is now serving 16 years in prison. In the second case, Hakal's persistent police work after a shooting reported as an armed robbery led to the recovery of the weapon and the admission of the victim that he had shot himself.

Hakala claims little credit for the officer of the year award.

"I attribute my success to the hard-working officers around me," the 37-year-old patrol officer said. "I've had a terrific crew the last four years. It's very easy to excel when working with such hard-charging individuals."

Hakal's wife, Tanya, agrees that he works with a good crew.

"I trust them with his life," she said.

Hakala spent the early years of his life in Arizona before his family moved to Duluth. A 1988 Denfeld grad, he spent four years as a firefighter aboard the U.S.S. Nimitz. He served in law enforcement in Douglas County and Hoyt Lakes before joining the Duluth force. He typically patrols the city's western neighborhoods. The couple has three sons.