Thousands of law enforcement officers from Pennsylvania and other eastern states gathered at a Beaver County church this morning to honor slain State Police Cpl. Joseph Pokorny.

	Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette Police officers gathered to pay their respects today at St. Frances Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Center. Click photo for larger image. Related editorial Funeral for a good man

The funeral Mass at St. Frances Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Center remembered Cpl. Pokorny's dedication as a trooper as well as his humanity, and the pastor made it a point to remind mourners not to take their police for granted.

On the way to the service, hundreds of police cars lined the Parkway West and detoured to the exit in Carnegie where Cpl. Pokorny was shot during a traffic stop early Monday. A Pittsburgh man has been charged with the killing.

Afterwards, Cpl. Pokorny's fellow troopers and other uniformed officers formed ranks that nearly filled the parking lot and stood at attention as the casket was taken from the church for the trip to a nearby cemetery. State police said more than 2,000 officers in uniform were present, and that does not count detectives and other plainclothes officials.

At the head of their ranks were Gov. Ed Rendell and Col. Jeffrey Miller, the head of the state police.

Police filled half the church and even stood in the aisles for the emotional ceremony.

The pastor, the Rev. Joseph J. Kleppner, referred to St. John's Gospel passage, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

"In that sense," Father Kleppner said, "Joseph Pokorny was the model of a Christian life."

He noted that Cpl. Pokorny was the kind of man who would work a long shift doing hurricane cleanup and then volunteer in his town to do more the same day.

"Joe was known to say 'If you need me, I'll be there,' " Father Kleppner said.

Father Kleppner said this would be a difficult Christmas season for the family, including the two children who were "at the center of his life." But he said it gave everyone the chance to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

"Christ comes to bring God's love, to bring us hope, to show us the way to heaven. But along the way is the cross -- suffering and death." Father Kleppner also said the trooper's slaying focused attention on the police officers who are often taken for granted.

"A tragic event like this makes us stop and express to them our deepest respect and heartfelt gratitude."

The ceremony was attended by Bishop Donald Wurel, state Attorney General Tom Corbett, local U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan and other officials.

A bag piper piped the casket into and out of the church. Perhaps the most emotional moment occurred when James Markel, a Monroeville police officer, sang "Danny Boy," without accompaniment, at the end of the Mass.

On the way to the cemetery this afternoon, the procession passed through an arch created by Aliquippa fire department ladder trucks in the Broadhead Road business district. People lined the road, saluting or holding their hands over their hearts. Merchants placed signs of support in their windows.

At Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hopewell, the police again formed ranks under a heavy snowfall and snapped to attention and saluted as riflemen fired three volleys. A service for the family was conducted in a chapel, while outside, a trumpeter played Taps on one side of the cemetery, followed by a second trumpeter repeating the tune on the other side.

A police bagpipe band, assembled on a hill in the biting wind, played "Amazing Grace." A lone piper played the first verse of the hymn, then the rest of the band joined in. For the final verse, a lone piper again played as he walked over the hill and the sound slowly faded away.

Cpl. Pokorny's brother, Frank Pokorny, addressed reporters afterwards to thank state police and all the other departments that investigated the killing, attended the funeral or offered support to the family. He also thanked the citizens who lined the procession route.

Frank Pokorny, who played briefly for the Steelers in the 1980s, said, "I know my brother was an extremely respected trooper. . . . But it is important for me to express he was more than that. He was a better son, father and brother and will be sorely missed by all those he touched."

He later added, "He was my only brother and my hero. What I did pales in comparison."

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More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.