‘He was a guardian of our community’: Memorial service held for Cleveland officer who was Webster native
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Law enforcement officers packed the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland to honor the life of Officer Jamieson Ritter, a Webster native and McQuaid Jesuit graduate who was killed in the line of duty.
The 27-year-old officer was shot and killed in Clevland while responding to a call the morning of the Fourth of July. You can watch the coverage of the memorial from our Cleveland NBC affiliate, WKYC here or in the YouTube video within this story.
A line of cars and motorcycles from multiple police departments rode through the city to honor Ritter. Bag pipes played as his casket, draped in an American flag, was carried up the church steps around 10 a.m.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd spoke at the service about Ritter’s dedication to service, not only with the police department but also with the Ohio National Guard. She said Ritter always showed bravery in the face of danger.
“He was not just an officer, he was a guardian of our community, a beacon of hope, and a symbol of strength,” she said.
Ritter is the son of retired Greece Police Officer Jon Ritter. The elder Ritter was credited with saving lives on Christmas Eve of 2012, when a man set a fire and shot and killed responding firefighters on Lake Road. Chief Todd said she spoke with Jon Ritter about his son’s passion for service.
“As his dad, John, said to me, he received his paycheck from the city but he worked for our citizens,” she said.
Chief Todd said the Ritter will forever be in the hearts of the Cleveland Police Department, his family, and those who he has served.
“There are no words I can say to take away your pain and heartache. I hope that these last few days you have spent here in Cleveland have given you an opportunity to see how many lives Jamieson has touched, and the impact he made on all of those he encountered,” she said.
Officer Ritter’s obituary says he will be buried at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester. The family is asking people to contribute to the Cleveland Police Foundation in his memory.
A suspect has been charged with the aggravated murder of Ritter.