Amid solemnity, pomp and ritual, the funeral of Aurora Police Officer Douglas Byrne unfurled before an estimated 1,000 mourners at Heritage Christian Center on Friday.

Byrne, 37, died early Monday morning after he was thrown from his car, which crashed near the 16000 block of East Sixth Avenue. He was responding to a call to help a man who had suffered a seizure.

A small parade of speakers, led by Gov. Bill Ritter and Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates, stood before the room and hailed the former Marine as a "hero," a man who, said friend and fellow Aurora cop Gary Rivale, "lived by the motto, 'duty, honor and integrity.'"

Others followed Rivale to the podium, remembering Byrne as a practical joker whose sense of fun and whimsy never prevented him from being, as Sgt. John Quinn of the Glendale Police Department said, "the most compassionate, even-tempered and respected man I have ever known."

Several speakers echoed the sentiments of Donald Byrne, the dead officer's father who had said earlier in the week, "If you were ever in a situation and had to dial 911, you would want Doug on your doorstep."

Byrne will be buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery this afternoon.