Fallen officer remembered as ‘nice guy’ and ‘dedicated partner’

They came by the thousands, law enforcement officers from near and far, gathered in Plymouth to honor to one of their own. "Yes, Bill had a big heart, a strong work ethic, and we all know he was a nice guy," said Wayzata Police officer Dan Lee. "But to me, he was a dedicated partner." Wayzata Police officer Bill Mathews was only 47 years old when he was killed last Friday while picking up debris along Highway 12. It was a life taken much too soon, but today wasn't about saying goodbye. "With Bill, there was never goodbye," officer Lee said. "And in his own words, after every shift, he'd simply say, 'enjoy.'" The funeral at Wayzata Free Church in Plymouth was only part of the spectacle. Outside the walls of the church, hundreds lined the procession route as a show of support for the man who gave his life while trying to make his community a better place. "It's amazing, supporting this family," said Jenna Haskvitz, a teacher with the Wayzata School District. "I work over at home base. I know the family. I know Wyatt [Bill Mathews' son], and we care a lot about the people here. And we need to show our support for something like this." Haskvitz joined several of her coworkers on this afternoon to pay their respects. "People came from all over to show their support and love, and we're all together on this," Haskvitz said. Mathews' death highlights the dangers that law enforcement face on a daily basis. It's a danger every one of the officers in the procession know all too well, as they made their way to Mathews' final resting place at Summit Park Cemetery in Wayzata. "Bill, we love you beyond words, you will always be our hero," said Casie Budolfson, a family member. A total of 2,400 people attended officer Mathews' funeral, 1,900 of whom were law enforcement. Delane Cleveland http://www.ccxmedia.org Learn about our mobile app - http://bit.ly/ccxmedia   / ccxsports     / ccxnews     / ccxmedia.org   CCX Media is on Comcast xfinity and CenturyLink prism in the Northwest Suburbs of Minneapolis and includes the cities Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.