Crocker funeral to be held at St. Monica’s
LAX — The body of fallen Santa Monica Police Officer Ricardo Crocker was brought back to Santa Monica early Wednesday, six days after he was killed in combat as a Marine in Iraq.
Crocker was escorted by his family, as well as military and police personnel, in a motorcade comprised of 50 police cars and 30 law enforcement motorcycles shortly after midnight. The motorcade, which also included police cars from other law enforcement agencies, slowly proceeded down Lincoln Boulevard from Los Angeles International Airport towards Gates Kingsley & Gates Moeller Murphy Mortuary in Santa Monica.
The procession turned decidedly somber when police officers and personnel from the Santa Monica Fire Department stood at attention at the intersection of Marine Street and Lincoln Boulevard. Above them draped a United States flag hoisted by a hook and ladder truck. Dozens of onlookers watched from the street as Crocker’s family, accompanied by SMPD Police Chief James T. Butts Jr., and the hearse passed through the city limits to the mortuary at 20th Street and Arizona Avenue.
Crocker’s body arrived in Los Angeles at about 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. On the East Coast, Crocker’s body traveled some 80 miles across two states along with a police escort.
Crocker was accompanied from Dover Air Force Base to Santa Monica by United States Marine Corps. Major Craig Price. Price will remain with Crocker until he is buried on Saturday in Puerto Rico National Cemetery.
Based in Quantico, Virginia, Price volunteered to escort Crocker, which is standard protocol for all fallen soldiers. Price — who recently returned from a seven-month tour of duty in Fallujah and Ramadi, training Iraqi police — had previously been a police officer in Seattle, Wash.
“For every Marine casualty, they have a volunteer escort based on rank or experience... Major Crocker and I have a lot in common,” Major Price said. “It’s an honor to escort a fellow Marine.”
Six police officers who worked closely with Crocker on the SMPD’s crime impact team and the SWAT team served as pallbearers during the transport from LAX to Santa Monica. As Marines and officers surrounded the mortuary, the pallbearers slowly removed the casket from the hearse and brought Crocker into the mortuary shortly after 1 a.m., while his family and Chief Butts solemnly looked on.
“I want you to know that he will not be alone one second while he is here,” Chief Butts said, adding SMPD officers have volunteered to stay with Crocker’s body for no pay. Standing outside of the mortuary, Crocker’s sister consoled Chief Butts, who has watched Crocker hone his skills at the SMPD for the past 10 years. Crocker most recently was assigned to the Police Activities League, where he was viewed as an outstanding mentor for the city’s youth.
“I thought the world of him,” Chief Butts told Crocker’s sister as he began to cry.
Crocker, 39, who was known as “Rick,” was a 10-year veteran of the SMPD and a major in the United States Marines Corps. He was killed on May 26 in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in the province of Al-Anbar.
Crocker is survived by his mother, Jeanette; father, Curtis; sisters, Maria and Marisa; and brother, Carlos. Linda, a deceased sister, passed 11 years ago. Crocker had requested to be buried next to her in Puerto Rico.
Crocker held the rank of captain in the U.S. Marines when he was hired as a Santa Monica police officer on July 21, 1995. As a reservist with the Marine Corps, Crocker had already served in Iraq and had been re-deployed. Colleagues who worked closely with him said he had only been back a few months.
Described as being extremely fit, intelligent and tactically proficient, Chief Butts said Crocker was “an excellent police officer and ambassador and protector of the community,” and a “consummate caring professional who represented the highest standards and traditions of law enforcement and this department.”
In addition to working with the special entry team, the crime impact unit and PAL, Crocker served as a medic for the SMPD’s SWAT team. He also worked patrol and had been a field training officer during his career with the SMPD.
Crocker will have a funeral with full military and police honors today at St. Monica’s Church at 9 a.m. at 725 California Ave. Between 1,200 and 1,500 people are expected to attend. Four hundred seats of the 800-person-capacity sanctuary are being reserved for uniformed law enforcement and military personnel. The remaining 400 seats are reserved for family, city employees and members of the public. Overflow will be seated in front and just east of church.
About 50 SMPD officers and 10 military officers worked out the details of the ceremony during a rehearsal Wednesday afternoon. About 30 uniformed SMPD officers were present, with close to 20 more out of uniform.
Waiting for the rehearsal to begin, the mood was relatively upbeat outside of the church with small groups of five or six officers laughing as they swapped stories about experiences they shared with Crocker.
A complete Catholic service will be conducted, including communion.
There will be a full rendering of military honors before the casket departs. Crocker will then be flown to his final resting place in Puerto Rico. In the meantime, Crocker’s body will remain at Gates Kingsley & Gates Moeller Murphy Mortuary, which has offered its services for free.
“They have been so supportive of the family and to the department,” said SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega. “They have done a wonderful job and (mortuary manager John Gerchas) said ‘this is our duty to the community,’” in offering its services at no charge.
In lieu of flowers, Crocker’s family has requested that donations be made to the Santa Monica Police Activities League. Checks should be made payable to: Santa Monica PAL, C/O Santa Monica Police Department, 333 W. Olympic Drive, Santa Monica, CA 90401.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 2, 2005. Read the original PDF.