County residents joins family, friends to pay last respects to Officer Jason Ellis
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
As the procession passed through Bloomfield, a police motorcycle escort accompanied the body of Officer Jason Ellis and family to the Highview Cemetery in Chaplin. Dozens of people in Bloomfield held signs and flags in honor of the fallen officer who was murdered on Saturday, May 25. Click to enlarge (a new window will open).
May 30, 2013, 6 p.m. — Hundreds of first-responders, family and friends of fallen Officer Jason Ellis crowded into Parkway Baptist Church to mourn his loss and to celebrate his life.
Traffic along Springfield Road near the Blue Grass Parkway interchange was backed up for miles in both directions of US150, on KY245, and on both directions of the BG Parkway. The heavy traffic and the struggles to get mourners’ vehicles parked delayed the start of the service.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers and other first-responders filed past Ellis’ flag-draped casket to pay their respects to the family and to the memory of a fallen comrade.
During his remarks during the service, Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin recalled Ellis’ dedication to his duty and his sense of humor.
“Probably the biggest memory is his absolute desecration of the “Electric Slide,” McCubbin said. “He was told to stick to policing.”
McCubbin said Ellis would stop by his office every day when he arrived to see what had happened overnight. “He always wanted to be involved, and he took it personally if something happened on a beat he rode,” he said.
A Cincinnati Reds baseball cap sits on the dash of a police cruiser driving by a Nelson County deputy sheriff. Ellis played minor league baseball for the Cincinnati Reds’ organization. Members of the Bardstown Police Department and Nelson County Sheriff’s Office honored Ellis’ love of baseball by displaying the ball caps on their dashboards during the procession. (Click to enlarge; a new window will open).
“Jason, I know you’re here,” McCubbin said at the end of his remarks. “And you ended our conversations with ‘you’re my chief,’ and I am your chief, Jason. And you are now our hero, and you must know your chief will not stand down.”
HUNDREDS PAY TRIBUTE ALONG PROCESSION ROUTE. Fire department volunteers coordinated the displaying of flags along the procession route through Bardstown and Bloomfield to the cemetery in Chaplain. Clusters of individuals paid tribute with signs, flags and balloons along the routes through Bardstown and Bloomfield.
The procession — totaling more than 900 cars — that left Parkway Baptist, traveled through Bardstown and on to the cemetery east of Bloomfield stretched on for more than 10 miles.
Hundreds of police and emergency service personnel from all over Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio attended the funeral. There were dozens of K-9 officers; many of those who attended also brought their police dogs.
Hundreds of vehicles were parked in and around Highview Cemetery in Chaplin were Officer Jason Ellis was laid to rest with his family, friends and brothers in emergency services paid their final respects.
Bloomfield residents held signs and flags in honor of Officer Jason Ellis as the funeral procession passed through town. Click to enlarge (a new window will open).
OFFICER ELLIS’ FINAL CALL. At about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nelson County Dispatcher Milt Spalding gave Officer Jason Ellis his final call:
“Dispatch to 139 Adam.”
“Dispatch to 139 Adam.”
“This is a final call for unit 139 Adam, Officer Jason Ellis.
Officer Jason Ellis served the Bardstown Police Department and this community with honor, integrity and distinction. Unit 139 Adam is out of service. He has gone home, may he rest in peace.”
- Click here to listen to Officer Jason Ellis’ final call in MP3 format.
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