TEXARKANA, Texas - It was often easy to spot Texarkana Texas Police Capt. Joe Bunting at a crime scene.
Always decked out in a sports coat and tie, topped off with a fedora hat, Bunting easily channeled an old-school look reminiscent of Frank Sinatra in vintage police detective films.
But his style of attire will be just one of many positive character attributes several of his friends and colleagues will remember about Bunting, who, 13 years ago, came within a hair of being made police chief.
The 40-year veteran officer unexpectedly passed away at his home Wednesday evening. He was 71 years old.
"It's with a broken heart that we share the passing of Texarkana Texas Police Captain Joe Bunting," the Texas-side Police Department posted on Facebook Thursday. "Joe served law enforcement for more then 40 years - including 35 years of exemplary service with our department."
Bunting held the rank of captain for the last 19 years of his career. He had previously worked for the Stephen F. Austin University and Nacogdoches Texas Police departments. He was also a Marine Corps veteran.
"Texarkana, Texas, lost a true servant. Joe Bunting was an excellent example of service above self. His quick wit and dry humor could quickly change the mood of tense situations. He was a consummate professional, excellent cop and true friend to all who knew him. He will be missed," said TTPD Chief Kevin Schutte.
"Joe was a veteran police officer who was very good to work with and he took his work very seriously," said former Texas-side Police Capt. Joe Cerrato, who retired from the TTPD in the mid-1990s after serving with the department for more then 28 years - much of that time in the department's services division. "I can still remember the hats he wore."
Texas-side Mayor Bob Bruggman said Bunting's death came as a sad and shocking surprise.
"I was very saddened when I heard the news," Bruggeman said. "I was deeply affected because he was an excellent law officer. He moved up through the ranks and was very well-experienced."
Bruggeman said that during Bunting's service to the department, he served as a field training officer, patrol sergeant, patrol lieutenant, in the Office of Professional Responsibility, city marshal, uniform services commander, investigative services commander and interim chief of police.
"Joe did remind me of those old TV police detectives by the way he would dress," Bruggeman added. "He would have both his gun holster and badge attached to his belt, as well as wear those old-style dress hats. He was definitely old-school."
Texarkana Arkansas Police Chief Bob Harrison remembers working with Bunting on cases involving both cities.
"I always considered Joe a great friend, and law enforcement never had a finer man and finer police officer then Joe Bunting," Harrison said. "He was a great family man and he will surely be missed."
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Alice Bunting, and three sons, Joey, Sam, and John, as well as fellow officers at the Texarkana Texas Police Department.
Bunting came as close to becoming the Texarkana, Texas, police chief as possible without getting the job.
In 2007, Bunting shared the interim police chief title with two other officers before City Manager George Shackelford named him the new police chief.
Bunting had wide support within the department and community and by key members of the law enforcement community, including Harrison and a former Texas-side police chief.
He filled City Council chambers with supporters when it was time for the confirmation vote.
But the city council wouldn't confirm him, saying later they wanted to hire someone outside the department.
The vote was 5-1 not to confirm him. Bruggeman, who was Ward 4council member at the time, voted for the confirmation.
The council members who voted against Bunting said they were interested in a "fresh start" for the police department and would like to see a chief with no ties to the community.
The department had been in turmoil for more than a year, and the previous police chief, Danny Alexander, had run a largely disgruntled department and received a vote of no confidence.
The council's decision to not confirm Bunting didn't set well with TTPD officers, who released a statement and petition supporting Bunting as chief.
The statement contained the signatures of 80 officers, which represented 90% of the department.
"All we ask is that Captain Bunting be given the chance to succeed." The petition also read, "In order to clarify misconceptions held by some City Council members, we the undersigned officers of the Texarkana Texas Police Department support the appointment of Joe Bunting as Chief of Police."
After the confirmation of Chief Daniel Shiner, Bunting continued to play a prominent role within the department - including continuing as an interim chief until Shiner's appointment.
Despite the council's decision, Bunting said morale was not an issue in the department.
"I'm not letting it bother me. Therefore, I've always projected that toward the officers," he said in a 2007 Gazette interview. "We've got too much to do to think about it.".
"Whether I'm interim chief or not, I've got so many things going on," Bunting said. "I have had the opportunity to move the department in a direction I wanted to go. This is in my heart. I love my job and I really respect the people I work with. I've got the ideas and plans to lead this department."