Caisson to carry slain policeman to Ohio cemetery

Associated Press

HAMILTON, Ohio

A caisson from a southwestern Ohio sheriff’s office will carry a slain Cincinnati police officer to his final resting place.

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the caisson will take officer Sonny Kim to his burial site today. It will be pulled by two Belgian draft horses from a farm in Liberty Township.

The Butler County sheriff’s caisson, a two-wheeled cart that is used to bear the casket in some state and military funerals, was paid for through donations and was first used in 2000.

“It is the honorable way to bury soldiers and police officers,” Jones said.

Eleven volunteers made up of active and retired sheriff’s deputies will walk alongside the caisson during the funeral.

They have been training for Kim’s services along with Cincinnati officers.

Police said the 27-year police veteran was killed last Friday by an armed suspect who had made 911 calls and was seeking “suicide by cop.”

The funeral will start at 11 a.m., followed by a private burial service. A police union spokesman said that officers from nearly every state are expected to attend the service.

———

Information from: The JournalNews of Hamilton, http://www.journal-news.com/cgi-bin/liveique.acgi$schjnfront?jnfront