Missouri nonprofit assists with law enforcement funerals

MISSOURI – For a law enforcement agency nothing is more painful than losing one of their own in the line of duty.

In Missouri, a nonprofit was formed to make sure those departments have one less thing to worry about during those difficult times by taking care of funeral arrangements.

The team was formed in 2009. Since then they’ve planned 35 funerals, including one earlier this month for Osage Beach officer Phylicia Carson.

“I think it exponentially helps with taking the burden off of the home agency because they have a lot of things going on, things that they’re not even thinking about,” said Sgt. Josh Steele with the Springfield Police Department.

The Missouri Law Enforcement Funeral Assistance Team originated in the St. Louis area after two officers were killed.

Since then, the team has expanded across the state.

“Our team is a resource for the agency and the family that has experienced that loss,” said Missouri Law Enforcement Funeral Assistance Team State Coordinator Les Kerr.

They do have to wait to be invited by the agency before they take over.

“When we do get invited in, we can take a lot of that burden off of the agency in the family of coordinating, planning, the very minute details of a funeral and implementing the honors to make sure that that hero is honored with the honor, dignity and respect that they deserve,” Kerr said.

The team organized the funeral for Springfield officer Christopher Walsh, who died during an active shooter situation at a gas station, as well as Greene County deputy Aaron Roberts , whose patrol car was swept away in flood waters.

“It’s important so that the other agencies get to grieve because it’s hard to do,” Steele said. “It’s hard to work the funeral and grieve at the same time.”

The team is a nonprofit that runs off of donations and volunteers, making their services completely free to families.

Sgt. Steele has been on the team for four years.

“Funerals are hard, especially when they’re an officer,” Steele said. “So this is very important and it’s worth doing.”

There’s a golf tournament this Friday in the Kansas City area that will benefit the team.

If you’d like to donate or volunteer click here.

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