Eugene Coon
| Eugene L. Coon, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Other names | Gene |
| Police career | |
| Department |
Pittsburgh Police Allegheny County Sheriff |
| Years of service | 1952–1969 (Pittsburgh Police) 1970–1998 (Allegheny Sheriff) |
| Rank |
 - Elected Sheriff1970-1997  - "Detective in Charge" of Vice1959-1969  - Sergeant1957-1959 Commissioned as a Patrolman 1952- 1957 |
| Eugene L. Coon, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Chairperson of the Allegheny County Democratic Party |
|
|
In office March 21, 1970 – June 1, 1978 |
|
| Preceded by | Thomas Barrett |
| Succeeded by | Cyril Wecht |
| Allegheny County Sheriff | |
|
In office January 2, 1970 – December 27, 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | William Davis |
| Succeeded by | Pete DeFazio |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh |
Eugene L. "Gene" Coon (1929–1998) was a long-time Sheriff of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (serving Pittsburgh and its immediate suburbs) and an influential figure in the local Democratic Party.
He graduated from, Perry High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1947. He attended University of Pittsburgh, studying "prelaw."
He served in the U.S. Army from 1947 to 1948, then re-enlisted in 1950 for the Korean War, where he was a combat infantryman in the 1st Cavalry Division, serving until 1952.
Coon began his career as an officer for the Pittsburgh Police in 1952, and rose through the ranks to assistant superintendent. Coon was elected Sheriff in 1969, succeeding the retiring William Davis. He was once called "America's Toughest Cop" by a men's magazine. While he was head of the Pittsburgh homicide squad, the unit solved 57 homicides in a row. He resigned from Pittsburgh in 1969 to run as a Democrat for Sheriff of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, a position he would hold through seven subsequent elections, ending his career in 1997.
He became chair of the Allegheny County Democratic party in the early 1970s. He also ran unsuccessfully for Allegheny County Commissioner and Pittsburgh Mayor.
Gene gained national recognition on January 3, 1983 when he refused to place homes of unemployed steel workers up for public sale following foreclosure proceedings.
He was named to the Pennsylvania Police Hall of Fame on January 27, 1990 and served as a bagpiper in many a St. Patrick's Day parade. He died in his South Side home on Oct. 21, 1998, at age 68.
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