Visitation Begins for Taylor Police Cpl. Edwards

TAYLOR, Mich. - Friends, family members and fellow officers are paying their final respects to the first Taylor police officer killed in the line of duty. Visitation began Tuesday for Corporal Matthew Edwards.

The line stretched as long as the eye could see with people waiting for their moment to honor a Taylor police officer who lost his life in the line of duty.

Last Friday, Corporal Matthew Edwards was shot and killed while responding to a burglary call, but throughout his 31 years, the once named "Officer of the Year" touched so many people in so many ways.

"It's really tough, but when I first heard it, I just got on my knees, and my husband and I both cried. It's just so sad," said Liz Klavitter, who attended the same church as Edwards.

"Any problems that we had, he used to always listen to us. He was a special police officer," said John Dishow, who owns a gas station Edwards frequented.

"It's a pretty bad hit. It's the first incident like this we've ever had, and can't really say much other than you think of the kids and family and try to do what you can for them," said Carl Dowell with the Taylor Fire Department.

"When you have a death of an officer, it hits home. We experienced one in our city four years ago, and all of the surrounding departments, everyone in an area, comes forth and in a situation like this, it just shows our brotherhood and our unity," said Dearborn Heights Police Chief Lee Gavin.

As a sign of that brotherhood and so members of the Taylor Police Department can mourn the loss of Corporal Edwards properly, we're told the Dearborn Heights Police Department plans to run their department from Thursday morning until Friday morning and then members of Downriver police departments plan to man the streets.

"In police service, it's a thin, blue line, that's what they call it, and just everyone's a team. Everyone's out here together," Gavin said.

"I think in some strange way it's strengthen us," Dowell said.

With that solidarity, the Truman High School Marching Band is selling blue ribbons it made. All the proceeds are going to Corporal Edwards' wife and the two children he left behind.

Members of the community can continue to pay their respects during visitation Wednesday at the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home in Taylor. Corporal Edwards' funeral is scheduled for Thursday morning at the Beacon Baptist Church.