Line of blue brings slain officer home

Dozens of police officers and firefighters from throughout Spokane and Kootenai counties took time today to escort a fallen comrade, Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Greg Moore, across the state line and back home. All along the route, hundreds of people stood with flags and solemn faces as the long procession passed. Fire trucks parked on an Interstate 90 overpass and raised a ladder in salute to Moore, who was shot on duty early Tuesday morning and died that evening at Kootenai Health. This morning his body was transported from Providence Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, where an autopsy was performed Wednesday, back to Coeur d’Alene, arriving at English Funeral Chapel in Midtown. Robert and Lisa Malcolm of Rathdrum brought their two young children, Ealom and Josephine, to wait for the procession to arrive at the funeral home. The kids held flags, and Robert held a sign that said, “God bless and thank you Sgt. Moore and local law enforcement.” “When we have a loss in the community like this, everybody needs to pull together to show support for the family – especially for our law enforcement, firefighters and public servants,” he said. “Plus it’s important to teach our kids the respect of a life, and especially those who give theirs so freely to keep us safe,” added his wife, Lisa. Carol Bennett from Post Falls also was there to pay her respect. “We believe in our Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene police forces,” Bennett said. “I’m really proud of our community to do what they can.” The escort included members of city, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies from throughout the area, as well as from several fire departments. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” said an emotional Coeur d’Alene Fire Chief Kenny Gabriel at the end of the trip. “People everywhere – what a wonderful show of respect, of support for a great guy.” Commander Lee Waddell with the U.S. Federal Protective Service in Spokane joined the escort “to show support for a fallen brother.” He said he was moved by the public reception along the way. “People stopping along the side of the road, lots of signs, fire departments all along the way had their ladders up,” Waddell said. At the end the cars filled the funeral home parking lot. Officers gathered in small groups to talk, and some went inside to pay their respects to Moore.