Bloomfield police chief laid to rest after 3-week battle with COVID-19

BLOOMFIELD, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bloomfield Police Chief Scott Dennis was laid to rest Thursday afternoon at Maple Grove Cemetery.

Last week, Dennis died after a three-week battle with COVID-19, but Thursday's service was about his life and legacy and not how he died. Family and friends came to pay their respects to Bloomfield's fallen hero.

The cars started lining up before 11 a.m. outside Parkway Baptist Church in Bardstown.

"There was a very strong turnout from law enforcement and from the community," said Eric Johnson, executive director of Supporting Heroes.

For two hours Thursday, people in cars drove by the chief's American flag draped casket to pay their respects.

"I don't think there's a safer town around here, and Scott Dennis was a large part of that," Bloomfield Mayor Chris Dudgeon said.

Dudgeon said Dennis brought passion, energy and more than 30 years of experience to the job.

"Bloomfield has been very fortunate to have him," he said. "Everybody knew Scott. He was always out and about in our community."

When a first responder dies in the line of duty, Supporting Heroes responds to the scene with emotional and significant financial support. Johnson is also a retired police officer, so he also spends a lot of time with family and friends of the fallen heroes to learn what made them answer the call. He spent the last several weeks delving into the life, legacy and career of Dennis.

"He did bring a lot of experience to the job," Johnson said. "And what you would expect from someone, who served for so long, at 62 years old, he was anything but average. I've been told many stories about arrests he's made, foot chases he's gotten into and how he has caught people."

Dennis was the department's only police officer, but city officials said he was always visible and made a difference.

"People respected him, and he was well-known by everybody," Dudgeon said. "He has been tremendous for our community."

After the drive-through visitation, people lined the streets to honor and say goodbye as Dennis' casket was placed on a custom caisson to finish the journey to his final resting place and for a final goodbye, salute and well-deserved honor.

"He received full symbolic honors from taps, the three-volley solute, the helicopter flyover, last radio call," Johnson said. "All befitting someone who not only gave his life in service but ultimately, his service cost him his life."

Fellow officers from across Kentuckiana attended the service. Dudgeon offered some special praise for Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa and his deputies. Since the chief's illness, Nelson County Sheriff's deputies have been providing police coverage for the city of Bloomfield.

Related Stories: