Community pays respects for Officer Michael Michalski in many ways during procesion



OAK CREEK -- Following the funeral procession for fallen MPD Officer Michael Michalski on Wednesday, August 1, hundreds of vehicles led the body to the cemetery.

It was a sea of blue and red lights. The movie theater across the street from the Assembly of God Church in Oak Creek was a staging area for squad cars. The parking lot was full as thousands lined the streets.

Outside the Oak Creek Assembly of God church, hundreds of officers stand at attention as an American flag is folded from the casket. A gun salute pierces the air as a fellowship of law enforcement honors fallen Officer Michael Michalski.

 



As brief storms pass overhead, a procession of hundreds of squad cars moves down the road. Close by, Alvin Walter's camera is busy.

"There's a lot of things. There are a lot of reasons why I take them," Walter said.

Capturing departments from near far.



"St. Paul and Minneapolis. You've got Zion Illinois," Walter said. "I got a lot of friends in law enforcement."

Walters drove 3 hours.

"It's out of respect," Walter said.

Not because he knew Officer Michalski but because someone just like him once changed his life forever.

"A long time ago I got into some trouble and an officer helped me out," Walter said. "You want to return something back to those officers that risked their lives for human beings."

Thousands of others lined the route to say thank you.

 



"You know it hurts so many people and affects so many people and then there is a great sense of gratitude because so many people are coming out," Cory Gulan said.

Some hold flags and offer salutes while others brought their camera to pay respects for a fallen officer -- together.



"Twice in a short amount of time. It's very sad," Walter said.

 

It took over 25 minutes between the first vehicle and the last. Walter told FOX6 he took nearly 1,000 photos.