Thousands pack church for funeral of slain LA SWAT officer

LOS ANGELES (AP) " Bagpipes wailed as pallbearers in dress blues and white gloves carried the casket of Officer Randal Simmons into a packed church for the funeral of the city's first SWAT team member killed in the line of duty.

A hundred somber police officers snapped to attention and saluted as the flag-draped coffin was pulled from a white hearse and carried into the 10,000-seat Crenshaw Christian Center Faithdome.

Many wore special badges with Simmons' picture. A number of children wore white T-shirts with his picture and the words, "Our Hero."

Before the service began, former Police Chief Bernard Parks remembered Simmons, saying "even though he did a lot of dangerous work, he was probably one of the most peaceful souls you'll find."

Simmons was considered a selfless leader among his colleagues and community members.

Simmons' body was escorted by dozens of motorcycle officers in a motorcade that wound through South Los Angeles. The eight pallbearers were all current or former members of the SWAT team.

"He was a super-solid guy. He touched a lot of people on duty and off-duty," said Officer Tim McCarthy, a six-year veteran of the unit who was trained by Simmons. "How can I sum it up? One of our boys took a hit."

Those who worked with Simmons were shocked that he had fallen to a gunman's bullet. He was considered a perfect tactician at the top of his game who risked his life for others during a raid.

"When Randy spoke, you listened," said James Hart, Simmons' former partner of eight years. "Everything he did ... it was like he directed a perfect script. He made sure nobody got hurt."

Simmons, 51, was killed last week as he and other officers tried to stop a gunman who had killed three family members inside a house.

He was the LAPD's first SWAT officer to die in the line of duty since the unit was formed in 1967. He had been with the elite unit for 20 years and had the second-longest tenure of anyone on the team.

Simmons worked hard to stay in peak physical condition and was known to fellow officers as "the rock."

A deeply religious man, Simmons was called "Minister Randy" or "The Reverend" in the community and served as a mentor to many children. He also was a husband and a father of two teenagers.

Police were still investigating the deadly Feb. 7 incident.

Simmons was shot as a SWAT team entered the home of Edwin Rivera, 20, who had called police and said he had killed his father and two brothers.

Fellow SWAT officer James Veenstra was shot in the jaw before the team retreated under heavy fire from the gunman.

Veenstra is recovering following surgery. Two other officers sustained minor injuries.

The hours-long standoff ended with a police sniper killing Rivera.

SWAT officers are trained to enter a structure when they believe civilians inside are in imminent peril.

Police Commission Inspector General Andre Birotte has said preliminary information gave no hint of problems with police actions.

No amount of planning or experience can protect against a stray bullet, said Donn Kraemer, a SWAT officer in the Denver metropolitan area who is president of the Rocky Mountain Tactical Team Association.

"You take all the precautions and you do everything right, but unfortunately sometimes things just go upside down," said Kraemer, one of the first officers to arrive at the scene of the 1999 Columbine school massacre.