Participating in one of the "most emotional and hardest things" in their law enforcement careers, Garland County sheriff's Sgt. David Martineau and Deputy John Schroeder on Thursday attended the memorial and funeral for one of the slain Dallas police officers.
"It's something that you never actually want to face, but you keep in the back of your mind. It doesn't matter if it happens here or Dallas or wherever it happens, we are family," Martineau said.
More than 3,000 law enforcement officers and emergency personnel attended the memorial and funeral for Sgt. Michael Smith, which was held at Watermark Church in Dallas. The funeral was the first law enforcement funeral Martineau and Schroeder had attended during their careers and they said they saw law enforcement officers from Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, New Hampshire, Alaska and Hawaii there.
"When I walked in there and saw all of those officers from all different places and all the squad cars, it just blew my mind. It just made me realize sometimes in this job, even though we have brothers that we work with daily, it almost feels like you are alone just because the media and television seems like it is against us," Schroeder said. "Just seeing all of those brothers and sisters was unbelievable. I am called to this profession just like David is and I feel an even closer bond now than I did prior to."
During the funeral, Dallas Chief of Police David Brown spoke and had his officers assure the fallen officer's wife of how long she will be part of the Dallas police family, to which they chanted, "forever." Martineau noted that though it was Brown's fifth service to conduct, Brown didn't seem tired or repetitive, but genuine, and his presence was felt throughout the auditorium.
"He was one of the most genuine speakers I have ever heard. You can tell he cares about the people of Dallas and cares for his family, his police family. I have listened to a lot of good speakers, but just because someone is a good speaker doesn't make you feel like their genuine with what they are saying," Schroeder said.
The hardest part for the two was paying their respects at the coffin while the bagpipes played. As attendees moved out into the lobby to make their way to the grave site soft talking began, but came to a halt when the coffin was loaded into the hearse.
"All of a sudden everyone stopped talking, turned to the door and started saluting. I bet we held a salute, 3,000 law enforcement officers, for eight to 10 minutes without moving. It was unbelievable," Schroeder said.
"When you are standing there with 3,000 officers saluting, they are carrying the coffin to the hearse and they are playing the bagpipes, you literally feel it. It is intense," Martineau said.
Full security was provided at the funeral and throughout the funeral procession as FBI SWAT teams and state police stood outside and three helicopters hovered above. Protesters were not present, but streets along the funeral procession were covered with citizens holding signs and flags showing support to the fallen officer, his family and law enforcement.
"From what we saw, it was all positive," Schroeder said. "There were no protesters, but even if there were we would have just smiled and waved. I really feel like the majority of the people in this country support law enforcement, even if the television makes it feel like that is not the case."
For both men, they both felt that it was an honor and privilege that they were chosen to go pay their respects for the fallen and represent the Garland County Sheriff's Department.
"It was one of the most emotional and painful things, but there is also the respect, honor and dignity. I don't have words for it," Schroeder said. "The whole thing made me want to go home and hug my wife and kids."
"This isn't something you do, it's what you are," Martineau said. "It was one of the most heart wrenching things I've ever had to do, but also one of the proudest things I've been through because there were over 3,000 law enforcement officers there from across the country to show their respects.
"A lot of people don't understand, which is hard to express, the thing about the brotherhood and the sisterhood and the family. If someone dies in Texas, it doesn't matter. We feel it here or wherever it is. That is our brother. They were running toward the gunfire to protect the people that were there protesting against them. That takes a special breed of person."
Local on 07/16/2016