Video: Police escort out of Duluth for officer who died from COVID
Dec 17, 2021 05:13AM ● By EditorWatch the WDIO-TV Report here
Officer Ron Smith died of COVID 19, and was escorted out of Duluth by law enforcement. Photo: Wadena Fire Department
From WDIO-TV - December 17, 2021
Another life lost in the pandemic was a beloved police officer for the New York Mills Police Department.
Officer Ron Smith died from COVID-19. He was being treated at St. Luke's. On Thursday, law enforcement from his area drove over to escort him home.
His chief, Bobby Berndt, said, "No matter who you came across, Ron can relate to everybody about everything. He was the definition of community policing. Even criminals liked Officer Ron."
Berndt said Smith was very religious and very social, and loved being a grandpa. He was also a mentor to younger officers. And he always donated 30 minutes on each shift, coming in early or staying late.
Duluth, St. Louis County, and other law enforcement helped lead the procession out of town. They also stood at attention as his flag draped casket was placed into the casket.
Smith will be laid to rest next week.
To see the original post and read related stories, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website. https://www.wdio.com/news/police-escort-officer-ron-smith-covid-19/6334763/
