Hampton Bays Opened Hearts To Host 20,000 For NYPD Hero's Funeral

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — The words "it takes a village" or, rather, a hamlet, were never more true than in Hampton Bays this week, as an entire community of residents, business owners, volunteers and town officials worked hand in hand and and opened their hearts to welcome about 20,000 mourners as NYPD Det. Brian Simonsen was laid to rest.

Simonsen, 43, of Calverton, a 19-year NYPD veteran, was killed by friendly fire in the line of duty last week; he and a sergeant were shot during a robbery at a T-Mobile store in Queens — and thousands turned out for his wake Monday and Tuesday and funeral service Wednesday at the Church of St. Rosalie on E. Montauk Highway.

Preparing for an veritable sea of blue, 20,000 strong, is no mean feat when the hamlet of Hampton Bays itself has a population of about 13,603, according to recent statistics reported by suburbanstats.org.

"It was a coordinated effort," Southampton Police Chief Steven Skrynecki said. "The main objective was to honor the detective and his family and to accommodate the wishes of the NYPD."

Southampton Town Police were assisted in their efforts by Suffolk County Police, New York State Troopers, and the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, Skrynecki said.

"For us, it was all hands on deck," the chief said. "The difficulty that arises in a situation like that is the influx of what's estimated to be close to 20,000 attendees, all arriving within a three hour period prior to the funeral, with that same amount exiting within two hours of the funeral ending."

But helping hands came together to make it happen, with the Montauk Bus Company donating buses and drivers, who worked for free, the Hampton Bays School district opening its parking areas, and businesses in Hampton Bays, including Macy's, the Wild By Nature shopping center, King Kullen, the Boardy Barn and others also offering parking — with the school buses running as free shuttles.

"It was just a remarkable outpouring of understanding and support from the community," Skrynecki said. "Particularly when you consider that the detective neither worked nor lived in the hamlet of Hampton Bays."

But in Hampton Bays, broken hearts bled blue as fallen Det. Simonsen was honored as one of their own, with mothers and volunteers organizing an effort to tie blue ribbons on trees and poles on the funeral procession route, Scouts donating time and efforts to helping, and residents baking cookies and preparing food, Skrynecki said.

Even during the wake, a local resident was serving coffee on the corner across the street from the church, he said.

"I've been doing this for over 40 years and never experienced an outpouring from the community like I saw in the Hampton Bays community," Skrynecki said. "Speaking for both the NYPD and all police department, we were very touched and very moved. We thank the community and appreciate the efforts they put into this."

Skrynecki noted, though, that such a huge turnout and swell of support is common with police funerals, "a symbol of unity within the police family. It is symbolic of how we all recognize the dangers of our profession, and how we all get behind the family of a slain officer. His family will be taken care of, forever."

The response in Hampton Bays, he said, was extraordinary. "It was outstanding and exceptional that a community would get behind this and say, 'We want to help.' It was a tribute to the businesses and people of Hampton Bays — and very appreciated."

Orchestrating the logistics of the day was a challenge, the chief noted. With so many officers attending, the funeral was a potential terrorist target, so Southampton Police worked with NYPD and Homeland Security to organize snipers and plainclothes officers, and had the Southampton Town Highway Department "stationed at either end to block the street so we could prevent a vehicle from coming down and mowing down police officers, who were vulnerable targets, standing in line, en masse."

Similar security measures were employed at other areas including Good Ground Rd.; K-9 units and other explosive detection devices were also used, Skrynecki said, "to protect everyone."

And yet, the funeral proceeded seamlessly, all agreed, a somber and fitting tribute. "Our department is very well positioned to manage large events like this," he said, adding that a plan similar to that utilized during the U.S. Open was put in place.

Throughout the entire event, there were no accidents or incidents; just one officer fainted, he said.

"I am incredibly proud of this department," Skrynecki said.

(Photo courtesy Jennifer Harrison)

Food from the heart

Jennifer Harrison made sure Det. Simonsen's family was nurtured with warm, comforting food during the wake Tuesday night.

Harrison, who owns the Senix Creek Inn in Center Moriches, secured food donations from 20 different restaurants, sending food for 500.

She did the same after Master Sgt. Christoper Raguso and Tech. Sgt. Dashan J. Briggs were among the four heroes from the NY Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing, located at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, killed in a tragic helicopter crash in Iraq that killed seven airmen.

Her cousins, Harrison said, grew up with Det. Simonsen, as did a dear friend who got his shield at the same time. "So it was very close to home. I just wanted to help, and coordinating with the endowment agency and the Hampton Bays Fire Department, we got it done. I'm very proud of how everyone came together," she said.

Donating heroes, salads, pasta and chicken parm, caring hearts helped feed hurting souls with warmth. Harrison, whose boyfriend was killed in 2005, said it "felt good to help. I know how it feels to have people reach out that care. I'm just happy I was able to provide an outlet for people to come together and hopefully, provide some type of comfort."

(Photo courtesy Boy Scout Troop 483)

Volunteers with hearts of gold

Boy Scouts from Troop 483 in Hampton Bays helped during the funeral service, as well, setting up a campfire pit outside the Hampton Bays United Methodist church to help warm the officers, keeping it going all morning.

The Hampton Bays United Methodist Church opened up the entire church for a warming spot, as well as offering rest rooms and the parking lot — and serving hot coffee and snacks to officers waiting in the cold.

The Scouts from Troop 483 stood in the cold, shoulder to shoulder, in line with the NYPD officers and saluted as the procession came through. Afterward, the officers shook their hands and thanked them for standing with them. The bells of the HBUMC church tower were set up to ring a funeral tolling bell as the procession passed by.

The Hampton Bays Fire Department also took a major part in orchestrating Wednesday's events, removing all fire apparatus from their headquarters at the firehouse and relocating it, with half the equipment staged at Southampton Town Police headquarters and the other, at Station 1 on Ponquogue Ave. Standby crews manned all equipment in case of any emergency calls during the funeral, and the entire Main Street firehouse was at the disposal of the NYPD.

In addition, many businesses on Main Street closed for the day to accommodate the crowds.

And, in addition to an effort organized by Julie Lofstad to raise funds for the blue ribbons placed on trees with the help of the Scouts and others, scores of volunteers helped to clean up Hampton Bays streets in advance of the wake and funeral.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the hearts of all involved were completely committed to honoring a hero. "It went off without a hitch. The police department did a phenomenal job, with really very little time to prepare, managing traffic and working with other agencies to make this really important and moving funeral happen without any distractions or problems," he said. "In town, all we wanted was to support the NYPD in helping to make this a moving ceremony, mourning this brave individual."

Schneiderman said it was the caring hearts of countless individuals coming together to make Hampton Bays proud that also made a tremendous difference.

He, too, thanked the Montauk Bus Company, which donated buses and drivers, who were on break — and for the Long Island Rail Road, which ran an extra train for officers, Schneiderman said.

There were volunteers handing out donuts and coffee, countless kindnesses from Hampton Bays, chosen as a host community to thousands, he said.

The supervisor said he even called the water district to make sure there was enough water.

"It was very moving," Schneiderman said. "I couldn't be more proud of the community of Hampton Bays, from the Hampton Bays Fire Department, to the churches, to the community groups — everyone pitched in. It was a real tribute — all the individuals that came together in this outpouring of love."

Simonsen was also honored in his hometown of Riverhead — originally from South Jamesport, he graduated from Riverhead High School — and on the North Fork, with ribbons and flags lining the way to the Jamesport Cemetery, where was laid to rest, and scores of friends and loved ones paying tribute.

Last Wednesday, police cars and firetrucks lined the roadways and highways on Long Island Wednesday night as a trail of blue tears led a fallen hero home, when Simonsen was brought home in a cortege to the North Fork's DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.

The heartbroken community has been cloaked in mourning as friends, loved ones and officials remembered "Smiles," a man who dedicated his life to helping others.

After the funeral Wednesday, one volunteer, Matthew O'Connor, said he was honored to be a part of the standby detail led by the Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corp.

"I was able to pay my respects to Det. Simonsen at St. Rosalie's Church. . . Seeing the outpouring of love and support and seeing the NYPD, Southampton PD, NYS Troopers, Suffolk and Nassau County PD as well as law enforcement agencies from California, Chicago, Virginia and other police agencies as well as FDNY and EMS from all over bonding in brother and sisterhood for their fallen hero — I am proud to know these men and women and proud to have met and spoke to some of them over the course of these difficult three days."

O'Connor added: "Rest In Peace, Det. Simonsen. I did not have the pleasure of meeting you, 'Smiles,' but may your memory and legacy of service live on in all our hearts as we 'take it from here'. . .God bless you."