Recently, I presided at the funeral for Deputy Marty Martin of the Franklin County, Ohio Sheriff's Office who was killed in a traffic accident while on a surveillance detail. He was a member of the Special Investigations Unit. This was not the first time that I have conducted a funeral for an officer killed in the line-of-duty but, as do we all, I pray that it may be the last time.
Many in the law enforcement community have been involved in some way or another with a funeral for someone killed in the line of duty. The traditions and rituals (Honor Guard, Gun salute, Bagpipes, Presentation of the Flag, Riderless Horse) involved in such an event are rich and meaningful not only to the family and friends but to the community at large. However, there is traditional ministry involved in such events whose meaning can sometimes be underestimated by those who engage in it.
Most often, one of the things that is remembered about a police funeral is the length of the Funeral Procession as it is common to see hundreds of marked and unmarked police vehicles leading the way to the cemetery. What sometimes is overlooked is the reality that those vehicles are filled with officers who may not have even known the deceased but have a bond with him/her because of their joint vocation.
Like those of us in ministry, police officers are action oriented. They are doers. They want to take steps to resolve a situation and make everything the way it should be. However, at a funeral, it is sometimes difficult for officers because it may seem that they are not able to make a difference.
It is at times such as these that we are challenged to come to an appreciation that our mere presence is in and of itself an action. The right words to say or the right things to do may not come naturally to us. However, sometimes just being there is enough. It does make a difference.
More than at police funerals in which I have been involved in the past, I was struck at Deputy Martin's funeral by the fact that most officers who attended the funeral (from both local and distant departments) simply came to the funeral, joined the procession, joined in the ranks at the cemetery and then returned home. Many did not have the opportunity to greet Deputy Martin's family. They chose not to return to the church for the funeral luncheon. They simply engaged in a Ministry of Presence at the funeral.
Some might wonder what difference, if any, such a presence make. Many are confronted with the uncomfortable feelings that are associated with knowing that we are vulnerable and that our life is not our own. There is an aura of silence that surrounds such scenes as our mortality can sometimes overwhelm us.
However, this Ministry of Presence does make a difference. As we take in the sights and sounds of the funeral with its prayers and rituals. As we notice uniforms of men and women from places unknown to us, we are reminded of the reality that we are not alone in the vocation of law enforcement. We know that we make a difference to one another. We know that those things which we value are supported by countless others. We know that should anything happen to us that there are others who will be there to continue what we have done. This is also a sign to the family and community who mourns the loss of their loved one and their officer.
It is vital that we never take the Ministry of Presence for granted. It means more than we can understand and/or appreciate. This Ministry of Presence can also be exercised situations other than that of a police funeral.
How many times has the mere presence of a police officer calmed one who is afraid that they are in danger? Have many times has simply pulling up on the scene of another officer's traffic stop given a message both to the officer and to those who were pulled over? How many times has someone shared with you that they were glad that you were there and you were left saying to yourself that you really didn't do anything? How many times has strength come from knowing that someone has your back?
Many members of the public have an image of police work that is presented to them by the media and by the entertainment industry. The action packed dramas that are so common seem to indicate that a typical tour of duty is exciting and action packed from the moment it begins until the watch is over. There are some days when this might be the case but there are others when the opposite is true. It is on these days that we need to be reminded that our mere presence makes a difference!
