Waterbury Deputy Police Chief Christopher Corbett is being laid to rest on Tuesday morning and hundreds of police officers are paying their final respects.
Corbett, 40, died on Thursday morning and the medical examiner determined his death was a suicide.
The Waterbury native joined the city's department in 1997, serving first as a patrol officer. He them served on the department's accident reconstruction team, according to his obituary. In 2003 he was reassigned to the management team at the department, researching and writing a policy and procedure manual that was 1,000 pages long for the department, his obituary said. He was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and was assigned as the second-in-charge of the criminal investigation bureau and to serve as the department’s public information officer.
He continued to serve in both of those positions when he was promoted to lieutenant in 2006, then to captain in 2010, according to his online biography. He oversaw the criminal investigation detective bureau, which was his favorite role at the department, according to his obituary. In 2013, he was appointed acting deputy police chief, according to his obituary.
Gov. Dannel Malloy. announced that the Connecticut state flag will fly at half-staff at the state capitol building today in Corbett's memory.
“Deputy Chief Corbett loved serving the department and devoted his career to ensuring the security and safety of the people of Waterbury,” Malloy said in a statement. “I join police officers and residents from throughout the State of Connecticut in mourning his loss. We thank him for his service to his community, and we send our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and fellow officers in the Waterbury Police Department.”
The funeral service is taking place at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on the Green in Waterbury, followed by a burial laying him to rest at the Mass at New Calvary Cemetery on East Main Street.
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"The Waterbury Police Department has experienced a tremendous loss. We are in shock. The pain and grief that we are experiencing is indescribable. Deputy Chief Chris Corbett was a consummate professional and he will be dearly missed," Chief Vernon L. Riddick, Jr. previously said in a statement.
Corbett leaves behind his parents, Betty and Dave, his wife, Joanne, along with several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, his obituary states.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to the Corbett family at this incredibly difficult time. Deputy Chief Corbett was committed to his family and to the City of Waterbury, working hard every single day to keep families safe. I am heartbroken by his passing,” U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy previously said in a statement.
In lieu of flowers, people are asked to make donations in his name either to The Police Activities League of Waterbury at 64 Division Street, Waterbury, CT 06704 or to Holy Land USA Waterbury at P.O. Box 828, Waterbury, CT 06720, according to his obituary.
