Sgt. Stimmel, who retired from the department in 2008 after over 30 years of service, lost a long and gruelling battle with cancer on Tuesday, Aug. 4, aged 61. His wife, Sherry, and his son, Craig, were at his bedside.

Visitation was on August 6 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 E. Stroop Road in Kettering. The funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Angels Church, 1322 Brown St. in Dayton.

Sgt. Stimmel was a high profile officer and is probably chiefly known for his work in downtown Dayton on the Mounted Patrol Unit. It was not a rare sight when he would stop and exchange greetings with small children, and to let them pet his horse.

People downtown who attended theatre at the Schuster Center and the Victoria Theatre have many tales of Sgt. Stimmel’s graciousness in offering a helping hand when problems would appear. “We called him ‘Sgt. Perfect,’ ” said Jean S. Jines, a volunteer at the theaters. “He always had a great attitude and a helping spirit. He was just so very kind.”

Sgt. Stimmel was one of the original members of the Dayton police Hostage Negotiation Team, and for 27 years helped defuse hostage standoffs.

He was also a member in good standing of the FOP Executive Board for 20 years and the lodge treasurer. In April 2006, he was honored by his peers as “Dayton Police Officer of the Year.”

At that time, Stimmel accepted the honor in his traditionally humble way. “This is so deeply, deeply appreciated,” he said. “I have faithfully served in many capacities over the years and have always tried to do my best.”

Born in Cleveland, Stimmel said, “I grew up in a police family. Both my father and my uncle were Cleveland police officers. I am proud that I selected this as my life work. I always put an emphasis on helping others as much as I can.”

Officer Gary Tipton, a close friend of Sgt. Stimmel, and also a Dayton police retiree, said the entire department is grieving.

“Scott did so much,” Tipton said. “I recall that when he was working on the auto-fencing unit with four other detectives, they conducted a successful sting on North Main Street that resulted in the largest recovery of stolen property in the history of our department.”