By: Daiyu Tang
Death is all too common yet sometimes the way people die, or rather how others act in regard to those who die can still shock us.
The Observer was invited to attend a funeral for an Alexander Black who had been found hanging in Laveau from a sign-post with various abuses perpetrated against his body.
While the death of anyone is a tragedy, it becomes more newsworthy when it is an apparent HPD Recruit or Officer who has somehow found themselves in Laveau out of sight and mind of their superiors (and surely hours away from backup)…
Around a month after his death in June the funeral was held by the Laveau Sheriff Department (‘LSD / LSO’) who informed me that no one from HPD had been able to collect the body. I’ve heard of jurisdictional issues preventing LSD or HPD from dealing with crime in each others’ ‘territory’, but to let one of your own go into the earth without doing anything? A bit dear reader… unusual.
But as it turned out, Hathian PD when challenged as to their apparently callous behaviour had no recent records of officer Black and declined to confirm that he worked for them. Perhaps he had stolen a uniform or a pass, perhaps he was so new he never made it onto the system.
I seemed to be breaking news to them (as well as you readers). This was confusing but after some discussion and attempts to clarify further there were old files from that indicated AN Alexander Black had been with the PD but had left active duty around 2017. Therefore was it really an Officer dead, or just someone holding on to a piece of paper in their wallet for the ‘memories’ or someone who had taken over Black’s identity? Sadly as no family of Black turned up at the funeral we may never know and with the body having been buried, it seems, short of a court order for DNA tests (against whom?) we may never know if this is that former officer, or just someone who was pretending to be them.
Funeral Reading & Suspects
The funeral was a sombre, quiet affair which was led with respect by Senior Deputy Derryth of the LSD. IT was attended by a number of her deputies as well as myself and the Head of the local clinic.
A brief discussion with the Senior Deputy revealed they had leads on the attackers and were confident of arrests after obtaining extensive forensic evidence from the body and associated objects. The Observer has chosen to black out the image that appends the poem, but with no family to claim Black, we feel justified in letting the image stand as a warning in Laveau – it is not safe and those that live or go there must take every step to protect themselves. For any questions related to this case, or further evidence, do contact the LSD – if you know this individual for example and can positively identify him from e.g. crime scene photos.
In closing, Nikki read the following poem before a gun salute and I found myself moved by the idea of the policeman waiting for Heaven. Was Black one? Perhaps… but in any outcome what the LSD did was the right thing and by progressing the case Nikki can give some conclusion to this sad story.
THE FINAL INSPECTION
The policeman stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining.
Just as brightly as his brass.
“Step forward now, policeman.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My church have you been true?”
The policeman squared his shoulders and said,
“No, Lord, I guess I ain’t,
Because those of us who carry badges
can’t always be a saint.
I’ve had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was rough,
and sometimes I’ve been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough.
But I never took a penny,
That wasn’t mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I’ve wept unmanly tears.
I know I don’t deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fear.
If you’ve a place for me here,
Lord, It needn’t be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don’t, I’ll understand”.
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
“Step forward now, policeman,
You’ve borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven’s streets,
You’ve done your time in hell.”
