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Hundreds
attend visitation, funeral services for fallen officer
Deputy Sutton laid to rest
Beth
Rumsey
Staff Writer
Jefferson County Sheriff Deputy
Roy B. (Bruce) Sutton Jr., 33, was laid to rest last Thursday,
December 17 with full honors conducted by the Fraternal Order
of Police Memorial Team and the Jefferson County Sheriffs
Department.
It was a somber day as hundreds of law enforcement officers representing
many different agencies and states gathered to pay final respects
to a brother who had lost his life in the line of
duty. Deputy Sutton was killed in a single vehicle crash while
responding to a domestic dispute on December 11.
Members of the Cincinnati Police Department motorcycle unit escorted
the vehicle carrying Deputy Sutton and members of the family to
the Madison High School Gymnasium where funeral services were
held at 11 a.m.
Despite the freezing temperatures, people lined the route taken
by the procession following the funeral to have one last chance
to honor the fallen deputy. After a brief stop at the Jefferson
County Sheriffs Office on Main Street for the final 10-42
(call), the cars continued onto US 421 where the Garrison flag
was flown. Every car in the procession would pass under the flag
that waved high in the sky. The flag was attended by members of
the Madison Fire Department and the Walnut Street Fire Department.
The procession continued from Jefferson County to Ripley County
where Sheriff Tom Grills took the lead to take Deputy Sutton to
his final resting place at the New Marion Cemetery on Michigan
Road.
The procession was massive with hundreds of police vehicles. As
the procession came into the small town of New Marion, people
came out onto their porches, stood in their yards and paid tribute
to the deputy, who was raised in the small town.
The procession stopped at the New Marion Baptist Church - where
Deputy Sutton was baptized - as the Hamilton County Sheriffs
Office Pipes and Drums joined the riderless horse, and honor guard
to escort the local fallen hero to the cemetery.
At the cemetery procedure was followed for a full honors burial
with the flag that draped the coffin being folded to precision
and presented to Suttons widow. The firing squad fired three
volleys, and officers filed one by one past the casket to place
a white carnation dotted with red. The white carnation denotes
purity of service, with the red dot signifying the blood that
was shed.
The death of Deputy Sutton hit officers from the Ripley County
Sheriffs Office particularly hard as many of them knew the
South Ripley High School graduate who had grown up in the county.
Bob Meyer now principal at South Ripley High School remembered
Sutton as a good athlete, unassuming, just a real good kid.
The flag at the school was flown at half-mast as they honored
their fallen graduate. Classmates came in from many areas to pay
their final respects to Sutton at the visitation service held
Wednesday, December 16. It was just so sad, one classmate
commented.
Members of the New Marion Baptist Church came together to open
the church doors to the large number of law enforcement officers
and media that descended on the small area.
The roads were closed for several hours in the area as the procession
literally used Michigan Road for a parking lot.
Ive never seen anything like it, noted Karen
Reynolds who pastors the New Marion Baptist Church. She said it
was of course the largest funeral procession she has ever seen,
and was glad the church could offer any comfort during this difficult
time for the family and friends of the fallen officer. We
will continue to pray for this family who has sustained such a
tragic loss, she said.
Officer Scott McDaniel with the State Fraternal Order of Police
Critical Incident Memorial Team, who coordinated the effort noted,
It doesnt matter if its a rural or urban department,
large or small...its a fallen officer. He described
law enforcement as a big family, saying they have lost a brother.
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LINDA CHANDLER PHOTO
Leading the procession from the New Marion Baptist Church
to the cemetery just beyond it, were members of the Hamilton
County Sheriff's Office Pipes and Drums, the honor guard,
riderless horse, and officers escorting the hearse bearing
the body of fallen Jefferson County Deputy Bruce Sutton,
who was formerly from Ripley County and was brought home
to the New Marion Cemetery for his final resting place.
Hundreds of police from a myriad of agencies, participated
in the funeral services and burial ceremony last Thursday,
December 17.
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LINDA CHANDLER PHOTOS
Above officers from three states gently placed a white carnation
on the casket of slain Jefferson County Deputy Bruce Sutton
last Thursday, December 17 at the New Marion Cemetery. The
white carnation denotes purity of service with the red dot
signifying the blood shed. Pictured at right officers folded
the flag with precision that draped the casket and presented
it to the deputy's widow. Deputy Sutton was buried with
full honors after he was killed in a single-vehicle accident
while responding to a domestic dispute in Jefferson County..
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