"He always wanted to be on the street," said Hillsborough County sheriff's Lt. Louis Llauger.
Curtis, 31, was pronounced dead 8:30 in the morning it was life-support in the Tampa hospital after being wounded during a traffic stop is about 6 hours ago. Of Tampa, police Geoffrey Kocab, 31, was also fatally wounded.
Curtis organs will be donated at the request of the family.
"He had four boys, and they were all him," Police Chief Jane Castor said. "It's just a tragedy. There is no other way to describe it."
Curtis resigned his office in the sheriff's police Tampa in 2006.
Llauger, who works at the Falkenburg Road jail, knew him since 2003. He said Curtis loved his job and was "always a positive guy ... always smiling.
"We were on TAC (tactical control of operations) team together," he said. "It's like a SWAT team in jail. In 2005 we went to Mississippi to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.
"He was a well-balanced," Llauger said. "He was not one who rushes at things. You know that when he did something that was calculated and planned, and he thought about it."
Llauger said Curtis loved to work midnight shift - he worked midnight shift, when he was here. "
The agreements gave Curtis more time to be with his family.
"His family", Llauger said. "He lived for his children."
Officer Kocab been with the department about 14 months, based on the plant City Police Department. His wife, Sarah, is 9 months pregnant.
Kocab former factory director of City Year. "In May 2007, he told The Tampa Tribune, that he likes" to be able bring their energy into the street. I love getting the bad guys. "
Police Captain Rocky Ratliff said Kocab and Curtis "were go-getters. You do not have to tell them what to do, they know.
