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Barry Glover: Former Clearwater cop taught criminal justice at Saint Leo

 
Barry Glover teaches a class last year at Saint Leo University, where he pioneered the criminal justice program.
Barry Glover teaches a class last year at Saint Leo University, where he pioneered the criminal justice program.
Published April 2, 2013

ST. LEO — Barry Glover gave his life to law enforcement.

He rose from patrol officer in Clearwater to pioneer of the highly regarded criminal justice program at Saint Leo University.

Mr. Glover died unexpectedly on Saturday at his home in Land O'Lakes. He was 65.

"He was a remarkable individual,'' said Dr. Robert Diemer, director of the university's criminal justice graduate program. "I look at Barry Glover as the father of criminal justice at Saint Leo."

Mr. Glover's wife, Nataliya, said he often worked through the night on projects. "He would always say when the work is done we can spend some time together,'' she added. "I didn't mind. His dedication is what attracted me to him."

She said he loved his Corvettes, motorcycles, and fishing with his buddies.

"He loved the sound of an engine,'' she said. "Sometimes he wouldn't even have time to ride his Harley, but he would fire it up for a few minutes to listen to the engine. He would be there with a smile on his face listening in a trance."

Mr. Glover had been scheduled to complete the adoption process for her 14-year-old daughter Anastaiya on Monday. She is in deep mourning for the only father she has ever known, her mother said, but sadness is not what Mr. Glover would have wanted from the people who loved him.

"I can't put into words the passion he had for life and what he was doing,'' she said. "That's how he wanted to be remembered."

Mr. Glover's career in law enforcement began at the Clearwater Police Department in 1969. He worked his way up the ranks and retired as a captain over the criminal investigation division. He was always a driving force for professionalism in the department, said Clearwater police Chief Tony Holloway.

Holloway pointed to a commendation Mr. Glover received in 1979 for his work for the city's affirmative action program. "That was huge for 1979," he said.

During his time in Clearwater, he worked as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida, then at Saint Leo University. When he retired from Clearwater police, he went full-time at Saint Leo. He spearheaded a master's program and launched a traveling command school that is unique in Florida. It teaches upper-level administrative skills at police and sheriff's departments.

He also implemented a program where select students travel to Israel to learn state-of-the art homeland security techniques, and a unique cold case program where students look at actual detective files, with sworn case detectives on hand to assist.

"These were all major contributions to the law enforcement community," Diemer said.

A long list of Mr. Glover's former students, now successful law enforcement officials around the state, call themselves "FOBs,'' or "Friends of Barry," Diemer said.

Several law enforcement agencies will honor him at funeral services this week. Clearwater police will present full honors, including a casket guard and presentation of a folded flag to his family. The Pasco and Sumter sheriff's offices will also provide color guards.

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"Barry knew where law enforcement was coming from and that is what made him a great teacher," said former student and friend Sumter County Sheriff William Farmer Jr. "It's hard to lose a friend."

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco added, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Professor Glover's family and the Saint Leo University community. He had a passion to improve public safety that will continue, even after his passing, to make our profession stronger."