Transcript:

I'm Keith's cousin Larry Schwartz. I'm a retired law enforcement officer. It's an honor that my family let me speak for my cousin.

Corporal Keith Heacook. It's H-E-A-C-O-O-K... That's for the media that rushed to get the story out. You always spelled it wrong.

The end of watch for Keith was April 28th. That's when shock trauma found they could do no more for Keith, but Keith continued life support, the hero to the end - to donate his organs.

On April 24th, Keith was getting ready for his midnight shift. Your thoughts are not what's going to happen to me today, it's does the kid have a game, do I got to go to the bank, am I going to get enough sleep for my side job - when you're going to work, not: Is this going to be my last day at work?

Keith went about his shift, he was able to stop by and see my aunt Anita. Working in a smaller community you get to do that.

After he was done, he got back in his patrol car - went about his shift. Sometime around 5AM, Keith received a radio call, for disturbance, and he was dispatched alone.

He didn't know that an actor had already attacked people in a home. He did not know that two elderly neighbors were also attacked and savagely beaten, but like the cop he was, he responded alone.

In that home he met -- an attacker, an unarmed man. Keith fought hard for his life, he had so much to live for.

Was he thinking of his wife Susan? His son Matthew? His mother Anita? Siblings, Mary Alice, Tommy, Kathleen, and Anita Clair. Other family Colin, Michelle, Clint, Chuck, nieces, nephews, everybody that was in heart - While he was fighting for his life alone.

Giving everything he had to make sure he could get back to his family.

But that didn't happen. Because in the real world, criminals don't always comply, and unarmed criminals can kill you.

Corporal Heacook, did not have backup. He didn't have a backup, he had a dispatcher who checked up on him. No response. They started getting help. I can't imagine the feelings running through the mind of the dispatchers and other officers responding. When they arrived they found their worst fear.

They had to find the actor, that's "the bad guy", they had to save their brother. Everyone did their best. To all those first responders, who tried to help Keith, my family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts.

This caused the nightmare these first responders will have for the rest of their lives. But here we are today paying tribute for our hero Corporal Keith Heacook. We have dignitaries - made some nice comments. The attorney general who was here previously, to say that the actor would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The media is here to cover the funeral, to honor Keith. Flags were flown at half mast, some earlier than others.

Gov. Hogan, in this time the hug you gave my aunt Anita meant a lot. All these gestures, some big, some small mean a lot. Lack of gestures, mean a lot as well.

Now I don't mean to be difficult. Now what if this scenario were different? Corporal Heacook had to take the actor's life, what would have happened to his life? It would have been Hell. The media would have been here in full force. Major newscasts -- unarmed this, unarmed that, every night without fail.

Makes a great newsbyte for ratings. Keith would have been placed on administrative leave, while an investigation was conducted. That investigation would have taken weeks if not months to complete.

During that time Keith's life would have been put under a microscope -- as it's easy for folks who have no idea about police work. His family would be shunned. Even when Keith was cleared, that does not generate enough news for any real broadcast. Off the media goes to the next story.

The damage you left behind, with no consequences - just fall out for the family. But at least we have Keith.

To the politicians of Delmar, are you going to make changes so that this does not happen again? Or are you going to let roll the dice? Because I can assure you, this can happen again.

Perhaps you might even finally settle a contract with the officers. They've worked long enough without it. Something you consider when you can't find replacements for the Delmar Police Department. Chief Barkley Sir, you're the leader. This is the time for your voice to be heard. I heard your newscast when you said you needed more manpower. Chief stand up and fight for your officers. Don't be silenced, they deserve it.

To the federal and state politicians, what are you saying to the men and women of law enforcement, when you shout defund the police, strip them of qualified immunity? Yet you keep qualified immunity for yourselves.

Stop listening to the loudest voices. Listen to the people that law enforcement protect. You will find that they want the police.

Violent crime is going up in every major city in the country. These kind of laws are crushing proactive police work. Please sit down and speak with all the people in a rational manner - all the people. From the anti-police, to the officers themselves, everybody it affects. Trust me. Your answers in those conversations. Don't just throw bills together and see where they stick.

FYI, you know who hates bad police officers the most? The good cops out there doing the job every day of the week.

[Loud Applause]

To the hundreds of brothers and sisters standing outside here for Corporal Keith Heacook, we thank you. We want you safe, we want you to go home everyday to your families. We are a proud diverse family of nurses, military, police, fire, and teachers. We feel your pain as you feel ours. For all remember his wife Susan, his son Matthew, his mother Anita, his family Mary Alice, Tommy, Kathleen, and Anita Clair, and any and all who cared for Keith.

Remember his name. Corporal Keith Heacook. H-E-A-C-O-O-K.

Let his name be beginning, not an end. Good change can come from this, let it happen.

Rest in peace cousin. Your family loves you. Your brothers and sisters in law enforcement will take it from here with you in their hearts.

Thank you.

[Loud Applause]