Family, friends and comrades gathered Thursday for a funeral mass inside the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
When the casket arrived at the Basilica Jones' colleagues carried the casket of Chris Jones inside for the viewing. A few hours later his wife and three children were escorted inside surrounded by a line of saluting officers.
Jones was killed during a traffic stop on Route 1 one week ago. A highway collision pinned the father of three beneath his patrol car.
Friends said /*Christopher Jones*/ was just the kind of police officer who really enjoyed helping people. It was a job that came only second to his role as father and husband.
Chief Ken Coluzzi of Lower Makefield Township tells Action News, "We're just heartbroken over the loss of Chris. He was a great guy, a great officer, and it's deeply felt by all the law enforcement community."
As a sign of how much he was respected, Jones was posthumously promoted to Detective.
Hundreds from the community came to say their goodbyes to Det. Jones and offer their support to his family enduring the excruciating pain from his loss.
"There's not enough time in the day to talk about Chris. Just a great guy," said Patrolman Brian Reeves worked an opposite shift from Detective Jones. They saw each other every day.
"He always came in in a good mood. With our job, that's hard to do," Reeves said.
As Detective Jones' family in law enforcement lined outside the Cathedral there were few words spoken. It is the first time the Middletown Police Department has lost an officer in the line of duty.
Sgt. Brad Zartman of Doylestown explains, "It's a loss for any police officer, anyone in the line of duty, it's a loss for all of us - the community, the family, all the other officers. It impacts everybody a great deal because it's a reality check."
After the funeral, a police procession drove to the Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem, where Jones was buried with full honors. Trust fund
A trust fund has been set up for the children of Detective Jones
Donations can be made to:
Christopher Jones Trust Fund
Police and Fire Credit Union
852 E. Street Road
Warminster, PA 18974
or
The Hero Scholarship Fund
1760 S. Easton Road
Doylestown, PA 18901
CLICK HERE to follow Action News on Twitter
CLICK HERE to get Action News on your website
CLICK HERE to find Action News on Facebook
