CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (WDRB) -- Family, friends and fellow officers are saying goodbye to a Charlestown Police sergeant who who died in the line of duty.

Hundreds of people paid their respects to Sergeant Benton Bertram at a funeral held in Charlestown High School's gym. The 33-year-old was a graduate of the school who stayed in his hometown as a Charlestown Police officer for nine years. He worked as a K-9 officer.

Lines of officers from police agencies around southern Indiana and the region attended the viewing and funeral.

One of those officers was Anthony Viania, who came all the way from New York. Viania is with the New York Police Department.

“It’s never a long distance when you want to go somewhere and pay your respects to another officer – another brother in blue that unfortunately died in the line of duty,” he said.

Viania said he came just because he wanted to pay his respects to Bertram's family.

"They have no clue who we are," he said. "It’s just an honor to be here.”

Alyssa Wright, of the Jeffersonville Police Department, counted herself among Bertram's close friends and called him, "an amazing man across the board."

“I was lucky enough and fortunate enough to know Ben and to know his dogs and to still be currently taking care of them for him right now," she said.

Wright said Bertram loved his job -- and he loved his dogs.

“K-9 was his life," she said. "He could take any K-9 training. He could get an accidental bite -- anything -- and just make the best of it.”

“His dogs are just an epitome of what type of person he is," she added. "He put 110 percent in to everything that he did.”

IMAGES | Funeral for Charlestown Police Sgt. Benton Bertram

Family, friends and fellow officers said a final farewell to Charlestown Police Sgt. Benton Bertram. 

Bertram worked as a K-9 officer, so part of the ceremony on Tuesday included his K-9 partner, along with more than a dozen other K-9 officers.

As the ceremony ended, there was a 21-gun salute in front of the school along with a playing of Taps and the final radio call for Bertram:

"On Dec. 12, 2018, Sgt. Benton Hurley Bertram answered his final call. While pursuing a stolen vehicle, Sgt. Bertram was involved in a fatal accident. There is no greater love than a man that would lay down his life for another."

"Benton Hurley Bertram…is 10-42. He has gone home for the final time."

From there, the funeral procession made its way through Bertram's hometown of Charlestown to the Grayson Funeral Home, community members showed up in droves to pay their respects.

“I thought it was sad," said Connie Caldwell. "Very sad.”

“It’s been very emotional all week," said resident Paula Caudill. "Our officers – it’s a small-knit community. It’s just tight, and everybody’s been upset and sad about the whole thing.”

Bertram died in a crash last Wednesday while he was chasing a car theft suspect.

Benjamin Eads is facing four charges related to the crash. He pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon and is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.

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