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Cold Spring's Sergeant Darrell Burris Killed in Accident
Community stunned by loss
by Kevin Foley
 | | Outside the Village offices, an impromptu memorial appeared over the weekend as residents tried to absorb the shock of the death of the wellloved Burris |
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Sergeant Darrell Burris, the head of the Cold Spring Village Police Department, died last Thursday night, November 15, 2007, in an off-duty traffic accident in Carmel, New York, where he lived. Three other victims were injured when his car collided head-on with a vehicle in the opposite lane and then a third vehicle crashed into the accident from behind. Burris, who was to have turned 38 last Sunday, left behind a wife, Linda, and a 14-year-old son, Ryan.
The Village government, business community and residents were all stunned with disbelief and sadness as news of Burris' death spread last Friday morning. Mourning bunting hung from the fronts of both the Village Hall and the Cold Spring Fire Company. At the Village Hall, where police offices are located, visitors streamed in all day offering condolences to the sergeant's fellow officers and Village staff who worked closely with Burris during the seven years he was with the Police Department.
Mayor Anthony Phillips, to whom Burris reported, was still noticeably upset a day later. "I can't say enough about the guy. He was really into his job; he loved it. He was so active and so interested in making the department better and having a relationship with the community."
Burris was scheduled to receive his new sergeant's shield from Mayor Phillips this week, having just completed the Putnam County training and testing required for the promotion.
Burris joined the Cold Spring police in July, 2001, on a part-time basis before being promoted in June, 2004 to the supervisory post as the only full-time officer in charge of a 14 member part-time force that provides coverage seven days a week, 24 hours a day. He had previously served as a dispatcher for the state police for ten years.
A man of large frame and genial smile, Burris was a familiar and comforting presence to many in the Village who valued his willingness to extend himself to promote safety and deter crimes. Mayor Phillips recalled how Burris enjoyed working with the children at the Haldane School, introducing them to law enforcement and to his constant companion, the black Labrador, Duncan.
"I remember when he came to us with the idea of having a canine presence for the police. We were concerned about having a police dog and what it might mean. But he persisted, went out and raised funds for it, got the necessary training and selected a dog everyone involved came to love," said the Mayor.
The hallmark of his Village tenure, Burris deployed Duncan to conduct searches for illegal drugs, track burglars, and accompany him into all sorts of situations. The K-9 team also worked closely with the Putnam County Sheriff's Department on special operations. Burris and Duncan competed nationally and won awards at the U.S. Police Canine Association and other events.
Burris was most recently spearheading an effort to form a Neighborhood Watch committee to involve merchants and residents more actively in monitoring Village street activity in the wake of a series of mostly commercial burglaries that struck Cold Spring in late summer and early fall. He and his officers were also involved in a task force with the Putnam Sheriff's Department investigating those crimes.
Sergeant Burris' death sparked an outpouring of community sympathy. Over the weekend flags flew at half-mast, small tributes such as a poem about duty and bravery at the Merritt Bookstore appeared in storefronts and lighted candles, flowers and cards with heart-felt tributes lined the bench in front of Village Hall.
Cathryn Fadde, president of the Chamber of Commerce, representing most of the businesses and other organizations in the Village said "the response has been overwhelming with people wanting to do something." She said the Chamber had collected thousands of dollars from the restaurants and shops on and around Main Street to help defray the cost of a reception expected to draw a large crowd of people paying their respects.
"People who overheard me soliciting our members in stores wanted to contribute as well. Even people who didn't know Darrell personally always saw him patrolling the Village with his dog, and they knew he was important to the life of the community. He brought humanity to the job; he had a big heart," said Fadde.
Sergeant Burris grew up in Middleburgh, New York and was a graduate of that town's high school. He served two years in the United States Coast Guard and had previously been a police officer in Pound Ridge, New York. He was also a member of the Stephen Driscoll Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Mayor Phillips acknowledged that the work of the Police Department had to continue around the clock despite the tide of emotion over the loss of Sergeant Burris. He said a few of the part-time officers had already offered to take on more responsibility and that he and his staff would be more involved in seeing to administrative matters. The Mayor also said Putnam County Sheriff Donald Smith had offered to assist in any way, including the sorrowful duty of finding a replacement for a highly regarded police officer.
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