Vandalia police chief’s funeral today

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Vandalia residents and city staff are paying tribute to Police Chief Douglas Knight, who died Friday.

Knight had announced just weeks before that he would be retiring at the beginning of June.

“As a person, as an organization, as a community, we are heartbroken,” said Vandalia City Manager Jon Crusey. “Doug fell in love with the people of Vandalia, and he made it his life’s work to serve and protect them.”

Funeral services started today at 10:30 a.m. at St. Christopher Catholic Church.

Vandalia Police Chief Douglas Knight died unexpectedly on Friday just weeks after his announcement of retirement effective in early June.

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There will be marked police vehicles and representatives from other police agencies will stage their vehicles for the procession in the Vandalia Municipal Building parking lot on James Bohanan Drive, according to Communications Manager Rich Hopkins.

Englewood, Butler Township and Huber Heights offered their police departments to handle calls during the funeral service.

A Vandalia fire engine presented the United States Flag at the south side of National Road at Perry Street.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The Dayton Police Department Honor Guard members are coordinating part of the funeral and organizing the formation of uniformed officers at St. Christopher Parish and Polk Grove Cemetery, according to Hopkins.

The Kettering Police Department Honor Guard will perform the firing battery, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard will play Taps, and the Brookville Fire Department will provide the bag piper. All of that will take place at the cemetery Thursday.

Vandalia Police Department officers will honor Chief Knight and perform the flag folding and presentation to the Knight family at the cemetery.

The city has placed a wreath at the Justice Center on James Bohanan Drive and placed an unmanned police cruiser at the corner of National and Bohanan to honor the chief.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Colleen, his children Steven and Erin, and the rest of the Knight family during this very difficult time,” Crusey said.

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