AndrewBlakeDetroit, MI – The president of a Detroit police officer union called out the city for not paying for the funerals of officers killed in the line of duty.
“It was despicable,” said Mark Diaz, President of the Detroit Police Officers Association, told WXYZ-TV upon learning the city won’t cover the expense of Officer Doss’ funeral. “It was a shot to the stomach.”
“They’re dying for the citizens of the City of Detroit,” said Diaz, who added he wanted city officials to consider a change to that policy.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig said it’s never been an issue before, WXYZ reported.
Chief Craig said there are organizations available to help pay for the funerals, along with insurance money that some families opt to use.
Insurance money and other benefits available could be used in other ways by the grieving families who have to go on without the police officer in their lives, according to WXYZ.
Police departments in Chicago and Philadelphia do pick up the costs of the funerals for officers killed in the line of duty, according to WXYZ.
Chief Craig said he’s worked in cities that do pay for funerals of officers who die in the line of duty, and he’s worked for others that don’t.
The controversy arose as Detroit police prepared to bury its most recent fallen officer.
Detroit Police Department Officer Glenn Doss died Jan. 28 when he was shot while responding to a domestic abuse call, according to the Detroit Free Press.
There was a candle light vigil for the 25-year-old murdered police officer on Monday.
Decharlos Brooks, 43, has been charged with first-degree murder in Officer Doss’s death.
Police said Brooks stood outside his home Jan. 24 and fired shots at a police car responding to a domestic abuse call.
Officer Doss, who was in the passenger seat of the police vehicle, was shot in the head.
His partner rushed Officer Doss to the hospital where he later died from the gunshot wound, the Detroit Free Press reported.