CINCINNATI — The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is set to lay fallen deputy Larry Henderson to rest Friday. The public is invited to pay their final respects to Henderson during two public visitations ahead of a funeral Friday morning.
The first public visitation is scheduled for Thursday 4-8 p.m. at Spring Grove Cemetery. On Friday, another visitation will occur from 9-11 a.m. at the Cintas Center, followed by Henderson's funeral service. Directly after the service, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said a procession will travel to Spring Grove Cemetery Rose Garden for a graveside ceremony and burial.
Father Steve Angi, a chaplain for the Cincinnati Police Department, is one of the people helping plan Henderson's visitation and funeral. While all details will be finalized on Wednesday, Angi said you can expect services to include a riderless horse, a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.
“This is a very difficult time for the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department because this is one of their own and there is such a bonding among the officers and even among the various departments as well that when something like this happens it affects them because they realize this could happen to me,” said Angi.
Angi said chaplains provide spiritual, emotional and moral support for the fallen officer's family, as well as the officers. He said their biggest role is being present, praying with them, and responding to individual needs if they arise.
Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, also reflected on how emotional this time can be for law enforcement. He said he remembers planning the funeral for fallen Cincinnati police officer Sonny Kim, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2015.
In addition to Tri-State officers, Kober said law enforcement officials from across the country come into town to attend funerals like Kim's or Henderson's.
“We had officers from all over the country that came to pay their respects (to Kim),” said Kober. “It was a huge undertaking; it’s something we certainly didn’t take lightly, nor is the sheriff’s department, because you’re trying to grieve yourself."
Kober said he hopes Henderson's family will be touched when thousands are waiting in line to pay their final respects.
“It’s an absolutely somber time, but it’s one that we get through because we owe it to the family, we owe it to the friends, we owe it to his coworkers to pay our respects,” said Kober.
