Escorted by police, the hearse transporting Warsaw Police Officer Jason M. Dobbins leaves Warsaw Community Church toward Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw. InkFreeNews photo by Kory Stoneburner-Betts.

WARSAW — Several hundred people, including members of the community, law enforcement and emergency services joined the family of Jason M. Dobbins in honoring the life of the Warsaw Police Officer, Thursday, Feb. 6.

Saturday, Feb. 1, Dobbins passed away at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, after he suffered a cardiac event a week earlier while on duty. He was 50 years old.

Jason Dobbins

Fellow officers from the Warsaw Police Department and Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office were joined in solidarity by law enforcement from police agencies as far away as Fishers and Carmel.

Warsaw Police Department Chaplain Layne Sumner gave the eulogy at Dobbins’ memorial service held at Warsaw Community Church Thursday.

The crux of Sumner’s eulogy highlighted the value of sacrifice. “The cultural value of sacrifice for others or for higher ideals has fallen on hard times,” he said.

“Jason Dobbins was not a man upon whom the value of sacrifice was lost,” said Sumner.

“What makes men and women run toward the heat of battle,” he said, “What compels a person to do that?”

Sumner broke down the characteristics of such people into three parts. The first, Sumner said, “is courage.”

“Courage is the ability to do something that emotionally frightens us, even terrifies us,” said Sumner. “Since death is the most common fear, courage of sacrifice is to act in the face of that greatest fear,” he said.

Of Dobbins, “I know that he willingly did his duty,” said Sumner, “He didn’t freeze or flee when the stuff got real.”

Sumner’s second characteristic was integrity, “a wholeness of character that coheres around a system of higher principles,” he said.

Dobbins had the integrity to do what he thought was the right thing to do “even though sometimes, like all of us, imperfectly done,” said Sumner.

Love was the third characteristic. “Love for other people compels sacrifice,” he said.

“He definitely loved,” Sumner said about Dobbins. “Especially for his family, even for people like you and me,” he said to the many in attendance.

“I not only want to raise these (characteristics) as a tribute to Patrolman Jason Dobbins,” he said, “I also want to encourage all of us in our own way, circumstances and station in life to aspire to these three qualities.”

Law enforcement looks on as the memorial procession for Warsaw Police Officer Jason M. Dobbins makes its way through downtown Warsaw toward Oakwood Cemetery, Feb. 6. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

Dobbins’ three daughters spoke of their love for their father during the memorial.

Warsaw Police Department Detective and Public Information Officer Brad Kellar sang gospel songs “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)” and “I Can Only Imagine.”

The family of Dobbins and many law enforcement officials participated in a memorial procession after the service. The procession traveled from WCC through downtown Warsaw and past the police department before reaching Oakwood Cemetery.

Among the survivors, Dobbins leaves behind his wife, Kara of Warsaw; children, Hayden Dobbins of New Smyrna, Fla.; Bayly Dobbins, Jaylyn Dobbins, and Payton Dobbins all of Warsaw; Jake Crousore of Warsaw; parents Ted and Judy Dobbins of Warsaw. In addition, Jason is survived by brothers, Jeff (Aletha) Dobbins of Silver Lake, Joel (Shelley) Dobbins of Warsaw; in-laws, Denny (Sandy) Jagger of Pierceton, and Greg (Michelle) White of Warsaw.

His obituary appears here.

Officer Jason Dobbins’ squad car became a memorial site in front of the Warsaw Police Department. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.