An Arkansas physician who also served as a tactical officer at the state's largest law enforcement agencies died of cancer Monday morning.
Dr. Marvin Leibovich of Alexander was 69 years old.
In addition to leading emergency medicine departments at Baptist Health Medical Center and UAMS Medical Center, Leibovich was a certified law enforcement officer who joined Arkansas State Police and Little Rock police on high-risk tactical operations.
From 1992 to 2013, a fully armed and equipped Leibovich breached doors and subdued suspects with the agencies, and he provided emergency care for injuries ranging from ankle sprains to gunshot wounds. He treated officers and criminal suspects, and he worked for free.
Leibovich, who described himself as an "adrenaline junkie," was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in 2012. In July, after Arkansas State Police and Little Rock police honored him at a surprise retirement ceremony, Leibovich said he had exhausted all treatment options for the disease.
"I'm just kind of waiting on the inevitable," he said. "But I guess if you're afraid of getting killed or you're afraid to die, you just have no business on a SWAT team. That's not a problem for me. I've had a good life."
Leibovich's 32-year-old son, Josh, said his father's interest in tactical law enforcement didn't come as a surprise, considering his other passions.
"It was kind of something we always grew up with. Ever since I can remember, he was flying around in helicopters. He was a civilian pilot. It was just kind of something we were used to, and law enforcement was just one more facet to it," he said.
Marvin Leibovich created Baptist Health Medical Center's MedFlight helicopter program, one of the first air ambulance services in the state, in 1984. He served on the state Board of Health, the Governor's Trauma Advisory Council, the Pulaski County Medical Society and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
State police and Little Rock police officers described Leibovich as more than a doctor. Several, including Little Rock police officer John Gilchrist, said he became family and was a "security blanket." They affectionately referred to him as "Doc."
"The man was indispensable. He was always, literally, at our beck and call. I mean if we called him, he was there and dealt with police matters going on. If it one of us got sick or injured, if it was one of our family members -- he was always there," Gilchrist said.
Josh Leibovich said many officers sought to return the favor, especially as his father battled cancer.
"A lot of them ended up being family friends over the years. Some of the people that helped out the most over the past few years were law enforcement," he said.
Metro on 10/07/2015