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UB Police part of funeral delegation

Three UB police officers were among hundreds of law enforcement officers attending the funeral of slain Virginia Tech police officer Deriek Crouse. Photo: JOSHUA STICHT

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By CHARLES ANZALONE
Published: December 15, 2011

Three UB police officers joined more than 20 SUNY colleagues in a show of solidarity at Monday’s memorial service in Blacksburg, Va., to honor the Virginia Tech policeman shot and killed last week on the Virginia campus.

UB’s Lt. Joshua Sticht coordinated a statewide trip to Blacksburg that included Investigator Timothy Thompson and Officer Brendon Zubek, both from UB; two other police officers from Buffalo State College and about 20 others from other SUNY campuses.

All the officers attending the funeral—held on Dec. 12 in honor of Virginia Tech police officer Deriek W. Crouse—were part of their campuses’ honor guards, all of whom are trained for special ceremonies, including funerals. All volunteered to take the trip to pay their respects to an officer they felt shared the same risks and dedicated himself to the same standard of protecting those on the campuses as they do.

“There is a common closeness and bond among cops,” said UB Police Chief Gerald Schoenle. “There is no other profession, except maybe the military, where individuals share such a close bond in their working relationships.

“Often when there is a funeral, police officers will come from around the world to attend these events and show their respect for their fallen comrade,” Schoenle said.

He said the five officers from UB and Buffalo State left Sunday morning to attend Crouse’s wake, all staying in the same hotel as the other SUNY police officers to remain as a group.

“Chief Wendell Flinchum of the Virginia Tech Police expressed to me his personal thanks to our agency for our strong showing of support for his department in their time of need,” Sticht said. “We were the largest out-of-state contingent present; this did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

“I am extremely proud to be associated with such a professional corps of professionals.”