As a graduate of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department Citizen Academy, I was asked to help out with the reception for Officer Daniel Webster’s funeral. I went by the reception location (Italian American Association) yesterday and helped set up the tables and chairs. Since I am also an event photographer, I offered to help photograph the ceremony at the cemetery and then the reception afterwards.
I went early to the reception location and photographed it before the cemetery ceremony, then walked down the street to the cemetery.
There were a lot of people lining the route with patriotic flags and signs. The first PD I encountered were the Horse Mounted Unit which I photographed and they gave me their card and asked for a copy of the pictures. Then as I approached the funeral home, I heard the pipes playing and stopped by where they were warming up. Got them to pose for me with a fountain behind them and the Sandias behind that. They also asked for pictures.
I then wandered around and met the honor guard which I photographed and stopped by and talked to the news crews from KOB, KOAT, and the Journal. The Journal photographer had dropped his main camera which happened to be the same model I was shooting. Was interesting that his main and backup cameras were both the same models I shoot. Offered to share some pictures if he had an issue with his as they are going to put up a “slide show” on their site.
It was mind boggling how many police officers and deputies were there. There were even officers from Aurora, CO, Chicago, and NYC in addition to cities all around New Mexico.
It was really moving to see all the officers walk by the coffin, lay down their badges, their gloves, and salute the coffin.
Officer Benner’s wife was also there and went through the line. It wasn’t so long ago she had to bury her own husband and go through a similar ceremony.
All the while there were the pipes and drums playing, the honor guard’s 21-gun salute (did you know they use shotguns in addition to M-16 rifles?), and of course when taps was played. Taps was played by two different trumpeters who played in harmony from two different locations.
At the end of the ceremony the APD, sheriff’s department, and Sante Fe PD did a fly over in their helicopters while the multiple news helicopters flew around the area.
Don’t know where they came from, but when I was walking back to the reception location a string of 5 helicopters flew over. They were all identical so I have to think they were from Kirkland or? They came in from the NE, not from the direction of Kirkland AFB.
Although they were all invited, not everyone went to the reception, in fact, the tables weren’t even all full and food was left over. I photographed Mayor Barry, Chief Gorden Eden, Jr. and other officers.
I stayed away from the officer’s wife, Michelle, to give her some space. If you weren’t aware, she is a deputy in Bernalillo Sheriff’s Department. Towards the end I asked her sister to ask her if she would like pictures and she was happy to get some taken with family members and some fellow deputies and the finally, I shot her alone, holding the folded flag.
There was a lot of sadness and grief today. I can’t help but add a comment about my thoughts on these shootings. The criminals who killed Webster and Benner were habitual criminals. This wasn’t their first time offenses, they have been in and out of prison, terrorizing people all along. I think these people should be locked up for good. Perhaps the three strike rule other states have. Why is it Albuquerque has an empty jail they are trying to sell and at the same time the state continues to let these killers out of prison to rob, rape, and kill again? We have a really high crime rate in New Mexico. Just think of how much lower that crime rate would be if we weren’t so soft on criminals. Lock them up and throw away the key!
(I took approximately 450 pictures which will be posted later on another site. The link will be added her when they are available.)
Leave a Reply