Officers From Around the World Attend Stewart Funeral
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Thousands of police officers from as far as Hawaii, Japan, and Guiana, stood in 36-degree weather yesterday as the coffin of this year’s first police officer killed in the line of duty was reverently carried to a waiting hearse on the shoulders of six colleagues from New Life Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church.
A Police Department flag of white, green, and blue with white stars, draped the casket of Dillon Stewart, 35, shot and killed November 28 while chasing down a motorist who ran a red light. Allan Cameron, 27, was charged with Stewart’s murder as well as the attempted murder last month of off-duty police officer, Wiener Philippe, 26.
Buried in his dress uniform, Stewart’s chest bore a detective shield, in recognition of his posthumous promotion to detective.
Bagpipes sounded, seven Police Department helicopters performed the aerial missing man formation, streets were closed, and a local school and restaurant hung signs of tribute.
Fellow officers, family, friends, and others listened to the service inside the 1,800-seat church, on television monitors inside the church lobby, and outside on loudspeakers.
The mourners included Mayor Bloomberg; the police commissioner, Raymond Kelly; the Queens district attorney, Richard Brown; the Brooklyn district attorney, Charles Hynes; the city comptroller, William Thompson, Jr., and a member of the City Council, Charles Barron.
Stewart, who was born in Jamaica, gave up a career as an accountant at age 30 to become a police officer. He was assigned to the 70th Precinct’s conditions unit and received four commendations.
Mayor Bloomberg described Detective Stewart as a hero denied a brilliant future. Mr. Kelly spoke of Stewart’s police work: “He was naturally vigilant and alert. Most of all, he wanted to make a difference. As, for example, the time he caught sight of and arrested a robbery suspect based solely upon a description he had been given.” The senior pastor at New Life, Bishop Michael Mitchell, described Stewart as a spiritual man, “soul-minded. He loved his wife, and he was committed to his city.”
Stewart, married for nine years to Leslyn, leaves two children, Alexis, 6, and Samantha, 5 months. He was buried in Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, N.Y.
