Friends, blood relatives, and an extended family of hundreds of police officers filled a White Plains church yesterday for the funeral of Eric Hernandez, the rookie police officer fatally wounded last month. Hernandez, 24, died February 8 when he was removed from life support 11 days after he was shot by a fellow officer.

Hernandez was given a full inspector’s funeral, the highest honor for an officer killed in the line of duty. Exiting St. Bernard’s Church, pallbearers from the Police Department’s honor guard carried his coffin, which was draped in the green and white NYPD flag. He was buried at Gate of Heaven cemetery in Valhalla.

Earlier, Hernandez was remembered by those who spoke about a life cut short, as well as the young officer’s promising career, his reputation as a talented football player, and his commitment to police work.

Mayor Bloomberg – who said members of his security detail knew Hernandez – noted the officer’s athletic prowess and loyalty to the officers and friends he worked with.

“He was a true team player, not just on the gridiron, but in the 52nd precinct in the Bronx,” Mr. Bloomberg said.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly recalled meeting Hernandez when the young officer visited police headquarters in October to present the NYPD “Finest” football team’s national championship trophy.

“Both on the field and off, Eric Hernandez was a champion,” the police commissioner said. “He played like one and he carried himself like one as a member of the department every day. His loss is extremely difficult for all of us to bear.”

Hernandez, an officer for two years, died after doctors struggled to keep him alive while his family maintained a bedside vigil over the past few weeks. Over the course of his treatment, surgeons operated on him seven times, removing his lower right leg and transfusing large amounts of blood to keep him alive, a spokesman for St. Barnabas Hospital, Fred Winters, said.

The injuries stemmed from an assault January 28. Six men were videotaped taunting, beating, and kicking Hernandez inside a Bronx White Castle restaurant. An officer responding to a 911 call for the assault encountered Hernandez, who was off-duty and wearing civilian clothes, holding an individual at gunpoint whom police said Hernandez thought was one of his as sailants. Officer Alfredo Toro reportedly shot Hernandez three times – severing both femoral arteries – after he didn’t respond to shouts of “Police!” or “Drop your weapon!”

Police have since determined that Hernandez’s injuries from the beating may have prevented him from doing so, and have said Officer Toro acted within police protocols.

Many have instead focused on punishing the six assailants who initiated the attack on Hernandez, who is one of five officers to die in the line of duty since November, including Officers Dillon Stewart, Daniel Enchautegui, Francis Hennessy, and Kevin Lee. Following Hernandez’s death, the president of New York City’s Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association said in a statement: “We must send a message to the criminals that you will pay a very heavy price if you attack a police officer.”

During his remarks at yesterday’s funeral, Mr. Kelly, recalling the deaths of the other young officers in recent months, echoed those sentiments.

“Let us be clear about one unmistakable fact: Those responsible for the death of Eric Hernandez were those who carried out the vicious and cowardly attack upon him,” the police commissioner said.

Recent press reports have indicated that pending the Medical Examiner’s final autopsy results, charges against the six men could be upgraded to more serious charges.