We’ve just learned that John D. Lane, APCO International’s former legal counsel, passed away on Aug. 18. The APCO Life Member received the J. Rhett McMillian Jr. Award of Distinction in 1999 in recognition of exceptional accomplishments on a national level in the field of public safety communications. And a scholarship fund in his name was established for APCO’s Leadership Certificate Program.

According to an obituary in The Washington Post, Lane was born in Norwalk, Conn., in 1921, to John J. and Theresa Donnelly Lane. He earned his BS from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1943. He had joined the U.S. Marine Corps during his undergraduate years and was called to active duty in World War II, following his graduation. After the war ended, Lane returned to Georgetown on the GI Bill, earning his law degree in 1948. After a brief stint with the Internal Revenue Service, Lane joined the staff of the late U.S. Senator Brien McMahon (D-Conn.). He started an independent law firm in Washington, D.C., in 1952, later becoming a founding partner of Hedrick & Lane, which merged to form Wilkes, Artis, Hedrick & Lane in 1982. He specialized in communications law and was an expert on public-safety communications.

Lane began serving as APCO legal counsel in the 1980s and helped move APCO from being a small organization of public safety professionals into a major player in formulating FCC policy related to public safety communications. He led APCO through numerous battles to secure radio spectrum for public safety, and advised individual state and local governments in precedent-setting cases before the FCC and in court. As a skilled corporate lawyer, he also helped APCO on critical organizational issues during periods of substantial growth and change. Along the way, he also mentored young lawyers, especially his associate, and later partner, Bob Gurss, who continues to serve as APCO’s senior regulatory counsel.

Lane is fondly regarded by every living APCO International past president. He will be missed.