Allen County Sheriff’s deputy laid to rest
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Thousands showed support for an Allen County Sheriff’s deputy as the family of the fallen officer prepared for his last call. Following a nearly 13-mile procession, Sgt. Joseph Cox was taken to Concordia Cemetery Gardens to his final resting place Saturday afternoon.
Cox died late Sunday after being found unconscious in his squad car while on duty in northeast Allen County. The department said he suffered a medical emergency as he was responding to a crash.
Thousands of people attended funeral services and watched the funeral procession to pay their respects to the fallen officer. Cox received full police and military honors and was called off duty for the last time during the procession.
The 13-mile procession began at Blackhawk Ministries and flowed west on State Boulevard to North Clinton Street, where it ran south past the Allen County Sheriff’s Department and courthouse to Jefferson Boulevard. The procession then turned east and traveled to Maplecrest Road before a west turn onto Lake Avenue toward the cemetery.
On Friday, hundreds of flags surrounded Blackhawk Ministries and there was a steady flow of people in and out of this church throughout the day during a visitation service. Some waited as long as four hours to pay their respects as the line wrapped around the building Among the crowd, law enforcement officials from all over the state of Indiana.
Cox, 48, is survived by his wife Diana of 17 years, six children, and 13 grandchildren. He was a 19-year veteran of the sheriff’s department and served with U.S. Marines.
Cox’s death is the 12th “line of duty death” for a law enforcement officer in Allen County. Eventually his name will be added to the Law Enforcement/Firefighters Memorial on Wells Street.