Lt. Al Ford was hired by WDAE (later WSUN) radio to report traffic while he was still working for the Tampa Police Department. His unique sign-off after every report, “your sky patrol”, and his witty and authentic ways endeared him to Tampa residents.  He was a do-gooder in the skies, identifying stranded vehicles and reporting them, helping track hit-and-run drivers, and even risking his life in heavy weather to report the downing of the Skyway bridge. Ford died at the age of 80 in 2008.

© 2022. Chip Weiner. Old Tampa Photos