COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The City of Colorado Springs on Saturday paid tribute to fallen El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Micah Flick, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this week.
Law enforcement officers from across the state joined the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado Springs Police Department as well as family, friends and members of the public during a funeral service at New Life Church, to honor the life of the slain deputy.
Flick was shot and killed during a struggle with a suspect in Colorado Springs Monday. Two other deputies and a Colorado Springs officer were wounded in the shooting. The shooting suspect was killed.
The service started as Flick’s casket, draped in the American flag, was carried into the church.
Watch the service in its entirety below:
Several members of the El Paso County law enforcement spoke during the service. Among them was Sheriff Bill Elder.
“Today we say good-bye... we say good-bye to a son, a husband, a father, a brother and a friend,” said Elder. “We say good-bye to a man who touched many. We say good-bye, but we will never forget the tremendous impact that Micah had on all of us. He is a hero not because of how he died, but because of how he lived,” the Sheriff said.
The Colorado Springs Chief of Police, Pete Carey, said through tears he was “heartbroken that this tragedy happened in my city and on my watch.”
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper also delivered some remarks, speaking of the sacrifice the deputy made for his community.
“Colorado is better off because of your father and he will be sorely, sorely missed,” Hickenlooper told Flick’s children during the ceremony.
Flick’s brother-in-law and former Colorado Springs PD officer, Chris Brown, read letters from fellow law enforcement officers and gave an impassioned speech to the law enforcement community attending the service.
“The thin blue line is holding… it will always hold because it has to. It has to hold. Our society depends on it,” Brown said, adding the deputy did not die in vain.
“He gave his life — he gave it — it was not taken from him. He gave it with open hands and he gave his life and sacrificed himself to protect his partners and the citizens of this community,” he said.
Brown also talked about Flick outside of his position of law enforcement officer. He recalled Flick’s celebrity crush on Katy Perry, his love of Chipotle burritos and his mission to lead a healthier lifestyle through rigorous exercise.
Last to speak was his wife, Rachael Flick, who told the crowd how grateful she was to everyone during this trying week. She also recalled Flick’s moments as a boyfriend, then husband, before talking about the importance of changing the culture around law enforcement.
“Micah literally used his body as a shield and put himself between his killer and his fellow officers… I don’t know how you get much more heroic than that,” Rachael said. “I’m so proud of him. I’m so proud of a man so worthy of honor.”
A final End of Watch call for Deputy Flick was played during the service. You can watch it in the video below:
A procession for the fallen deputy followed the service, with hundreds of people lined up along North Power Boulevard as the deputy and fellow officers made their way to Falcon.
You can watch some of the procession in the video below:
Flick was a father of twins and a well-liked member of the force, celebrating his 11th anniversary with the office the day he was shot.
He grew up in the Colorado Springs area and attended Christian schools. He started with the sheriff’s office in 2006 and quickly rose through the ranks.
If you’d like to donate to the Flick family, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has set up an online donation link through their website. You can also donate by visiting the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Foundation, located at 1980 Dominion Way, Ste. 200 in Colorado Springs.
Saturday’s service marked the third funeral for a fallen deputy in Colorado over the past five weeks.
Ten officers have been shot, three of whom were killed, in the line of duty during three separate incidents involving five departments since Dec. 31 of last year.
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