The life and legacy of Jacob Derbin, a 2018 graduate of Cuyahoga Heights High School and fallen Euclid Police officer, was the focal point of a ceremony dedicating a monument in Derbin’s honor on Wednesday, June 4, in what would have been Derbin’s 25th birthday.
“He was just a larger-than-life student, became that as an adult, and continues to be that way for us,” said Cuyahoga Heights Superintendent Matt Young. “Jacob represented the best of all of us. And I think his impact really spread even beyond this community as you can see, by the outreach and outpouring of everything that went into making this day possible.”
Derbin, a Euclid police officer, was tragically killed in the line of duty while responding to a disturbance call on May 11, 2024 – devastating his loved ones and all who knew him in this tight-knit school community which includes Cuyahoga Heights, Brooklyn Heights, Valley View, and tuition students.
The Class of 2018 raised more than $20,000 for the one-of-a-kind monument that was installed beside the flagpole in front of the high school. In what otherwise would have been a somber and difficult day, organizers chose June 4 – Derbin’s birthday – as the date of the unveiling, to enable friends and family to gather and celebrate Derbin’s life and commitment to public service.