BELTSVILLE, Md. -
A police escort brought the family of Prince George's County Officer Adrian Morris to his wake Monday night. Two lines of Prince George's County police officers flanked the door of the Borgwardt's Funeral Home in Beltsville as Morris' relatives entered.
"These tragedies have fallen at our doorstep all too often," says Prince George's County Assistant Police Chief Kevin Davis.
He says when thousands of officers gather at Morris' funeral Tuesday, they will keep one thing in mind.
"To reflect and to celebrate the life and the lives of these dedicated officers, but we also try to become better at what we do in our profession," says Davis.
Morris was killed in a car crash last Monday while pursuing robbery suspects Kevon Neal and Kenneth Mitchell. Both have been arrested.
Residents say Officer Morris made the ultimate sacrifice to keep them safe.
"You feel for the family. We feel for each of them because they're still our family," says Belinda Queen, a Prince George's County resident. "Even though they're out here fighting for us every day, we're all family. In Prince George's County, when one is hurt, we're all hurt."
In addition to Officer Morris' own department, law enforcement agencies from all over the area turned out in force.
Officer Morris was a young man. He was only 23 years old when he died, and it is a death that is particularly hard-hitting to many of the area police explorers who turned out here to pay their respects.
Officer Morris was a police explorer before becoming a police officer, and continued that work as an advisor and mentor. Many say he will continue to serve as a symbol.
"What it means to me is it's part of the job. But it's really sad because he's someone young like me who wanted to be a police officer and he was killed in the line of duty young," says Matthew Platko, a police explorer.
"We did walk in his footsteps. While it doesn't get in the way of me wanting to do this job, really, it's tragic. It's bad news for everyone," says Police Explorer Yeni Mejia.
And for officers who knew and worked with Morris, it is yet another reminder of just how thin the thin blue line between life and death can be.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Woodstream Church in Mitchellville.
Officer Morris will be buried Tuesday afternoon at Lakemount Memorial Park Cemetery in Davidsonville.
Adrian Morris
