Video, Photos: Lakewood Frum Community Among 10,000 Who Pay Last Respects to Slain Officer

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bmg-roshei-yeshiva-at-funeral[Exclusive video and photos below.] Lakewood – NJ – The funeral for Lakewood police officer Christopher Matlosz began shortly after noon today. The procession made its way from Route 9 South to County Line Road. It then proceeded down Monmouth Avenue, where thousands of members of the frum community, led by the four roshei yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha – Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Yeruchem Olshin, Rav Dovid Schustal and Rav Yisroel Neuman – gathered to pay last respects and express gratitude to the entire police force.

An estimated 10,000 people took part in today’s event.

The procession turned onto Third Street, passing Town Hall, and then continued onto Clifton Avenue toward Main Street/Route 88.

Bagpipes and helicopters circling overhead could be heard throughout the procession.

Governor Chris Christie entered the funeral service with Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno at 12:05 p.m. At 12:12 p.m. the casket was led into the actual funeral.

Over 7,000 police officers, from departments as far away as Canada and the Bahamas, were present at the ceremony, according to a spokesman from the Lakewood police department. They overflowed the FirstEnergy Park stadium of the minor league Lakewood BlueClaws on Cedar Bridge Avenue.

Security at the funeral was extremely tight. State Police swept across the area before the service.

Christie was the final speaker during today’s funeral.

There were heavy traffic delays and street closures throughout the downtown Lakewood area.

Matlosz, 27, was killed in the line of duty on Friday afternoon in Lakewood after being shot three times while sitting inside his patrol car during a routine stop.

His accused killer, Jahmell W. Crockam, 19, was arrested Sunday morning after a nearly 40-hour manhunt across three states. He made his first court appearance Tuesday and remains in custody in lieu of $5 million bail.

Across the downtown area were positioned snipers and armored cars. Police took seriously a threat by some gang members to attack New Jersey police officers in retaliation for Crockam’s arrest. “Obviously like all rumors we are taking them seriously under consideration,” said Ocean County Prosecutor Maureen Lynch Ford.

A private burial is being held at a nearby cemetery. Traffic tie-ups are expected to continue until 4 p.m.

Click below for video of the funeral and the participation of the frum community:

[media id=1073 width=400 height=300]

For those with faster connections, click below for higher quality video:

See below for photos:



{Copyright 2011 Matzav.com Newscenter/Video and photo copying courtesy of T Kupfer-Data Imaging}

Matzav.com thanks the Lakewood Police Department for exclusive access to portions of the procession.


60 COMMENTS

  1. I never saw anythign like this in my life. There must have been 15,000 people, maybe 10,000 cops. so organized. The procession was lang veee der Yiddishe golus all the way from county line until Main Street. It was amzing. And so many frum people came out to show hakoras hatov and respect.

  2. What I found interesting is that none of the public schools were there, and yet there were so many Jewish elementary schools that came out to pay respect! These include Yeshiva Ketana and Kamenitz!

    Wonderful! Very thoughtful.

  3. This aino yehdi must of done something to get such a funeral where the Roshai yeshivos of the largest yeshivah in the world came to pay their respect.

  4. “Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Yeruchem Olshin, Rav Dovid Schustal and Rav Yisroel Neuman – gathered to pay last respects and express gratitude to the entire police force.”

    Was the mashgiach there?

  5. I went over to NYPD officers and said, “hey homeboy! I come from NY too!” the guys smiled from ear to ear. There was such nice respect shown to all.

  6. The should have brought the suspect and let him sit in the middle and apologize in front of 10,000 for the horrific act of murder. They should have given everyone a chance at him. What a murderer.

  7. A special thank you from the dirah here in Bais Yisroel! We feel like we were there. Looked like an Eretz Yisroeldiker matzav.

  8. As stated earlier, most Poskim prohibit the giving of gifts on Shabbos because it is similar to a transaction in that ownership of an item is being transferred. However, one solution is to transfer the gift (e.g. by handing it back and forth) to a third individual who acts as an agent for the recipient before Shabbos.The gift thereby belongs to the recipient without their prior knowledge, and without them actually having received it before Shabbos. If this was not done before Shabbos, the gift may still be presented, but the recipient should have in mind (and be so instructed by the giver) not to acquire legal ownership until after Shabbos or Yom Tov.

    Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Berurah 306:MB33, Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 29:29 see there also note 78, 79, Sefer 39 Melochos

  9. Shows the unity of Lakewood. A special place to live. Credit to all those who participated to show what humanity can do despite our differences.
    Nice to see everyone showing sincere respect.

  10. “why didn’t they make it on Clifton and tenth by the baseball fields? there’s so much more room there.”

    #17:

    When – c”v – YOU have to organize a big public funeral for someone THEN you can offer suggestions for a proposed location.

  11. Good point by the poster who brought up: where were the public schools? We cam out in full force, with kids, girls, boys, men, Torah leaders, roshie yeshiva….. where were they?

  12. kiddush hashem wiuthout question
    let’se see if the Torah haters write about this or if they only find the bad to write about us
    what a beatiful display of gratitude and sesitivity

  13. 1. WHO WAS GUARDING THE REST OF LAKEWOOD AGAINST ROBBERIES WHILE ALL THE POLICE WERE AT THE FUNERAL. IF SOMEONE GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WERE POLICE AVAILABLE FOR A POLICE REPORT.

    2. IF POLICE WERE APPOINTED TO MISS THE FUNERAL AND PATROL- HOW DID THEY CHOOSE THESE UNLUCKY CANDIDATES?

  14. Kudos to Bagel Nosh for giving out free drinks to the police officers! Shkoach Dov Kaufman for a big kiddush Hashem!!

  15. nicest funeral I was ever at. How well orchestrated. Beautiful. How long does it take to plan such a thing? I would think a month.

  16. to the one who asked about the mashgiach, he wasnt there but he visited the police chief and the headqaureters on Sunday with Maran Rav Malkiel shlita.

  17. Alle torontonian units are burnt into the matzav unit b3 sapped to the levaya

    great pounding food at four corners
    there were no illegal maneuvers going on I can tell u that for sure

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