Boston Police Give Final Salute To Officer Jose Fontanez
BOSTON (CBS) -- The funeral procession for Boston Police Officer Jose Fontanez brought him to a final resting spot at St. Michael's Cemetery on Saturday. Fontanez, a 29-year veteran of the Boston Police Department, died of the coronavirus.
A small gathering of fellow Boston Police officers saluted Fontanez and dozens of cruisers lined Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. They all wore face masks and were joined by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.
Fontanez served District E13 in Jamacia Plan for 23 years. He leaves behind a wife, four children and one grandchild.
Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said, "not only was he an officer in service to the community...he wore many hats, he was a father, he was a husband, he was a brother, he was a brother to our family of blue, he's a brother to many in the community, a mentor to children -- especially baseball, he knew his stuff, a great man. That's more than a uniform. That's spirit, that's a person."
The Boston Police Department said due to coronavirus concerns, the scale and magnitude of Fontanez's funeral would be limited. Instead, they asked members of the community to light their homes blue Saturday night as a way to remember and honor Fontanez.
Gross said coronavirus is "changing day-to-day policing. One thing that we must remember is that we can't shelter in place. We're out here on the front lines and we're not complaining about it either. It's our job. For the change in working conditions, dawning personal protective equipment, assisting all of our other first responder families, whether it be EMS or Fire, that's what we're doing, and also dealing with the folks on the street, who aren't as fortunate as others, who may not have a home, who may be down on our luck."
Fontanez is the first Boston Police officer to die from the virus.
