CrimeWatch

OAKLAND (CBS 5 / BCN) ― Oakland police officials said they were preparing to accommodate up to 18,000 or more people at a public funeral service Friday morning for four officers who were fatally shot by a wanted parolee.
 
Capt. Paul Figueroa said officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Boston Police Department and other police and fire departments from around the country were expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

The service was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Friday and was expected to last at least two and a half hours.

"The mission is to honor the fallen officers and their families," Figueroa said.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference at Oakland police headquarters on Tuesday afternoon, Figueroa became emotional after he said he's spent some time with the families of the slain officers and described them as "the most honorable folks."

The officers who will be remembered are Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, of Tracy, Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, of Danville, Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35, of Castro Valley and Officer John Hege, 41, of Concord.

Police said that the officers were killed by 26-year-old Lovelle Mixon of Oakland, an ex-felon who was the subject of a no-bail parole revocation warrant for allegedly violating his parole by failing to meet with his parole officer.

Mixon was killed at the end of his confrontation with police.

The incident began when Dunakin and Hege made a traffic stop on Mixon at 74th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard on Saturday afternoon.

Figueroa said there were 16,900 available seats at the Oracle Arena and another 1,200 seats on the floor level. There also were options to accommodate more people if there is an overflow of attendees, he added.

In addition, police spokesman Jeff Thomason said it was expected that the service would be broadcast live across the nation.

Jayson Landeza of St. Columba Catholic Church in Oakland, who is the chaplain for the Oakland Police Department, was set to be the master of ceremonies for the funeral.

Figueroa said there would be many speakers and dignitaries and he
hoped to release the complete program by Thursday night.

He said there would be formal honors for the fallen officers, including bagpipes, military cannons and helicopter flyovers.

Figueroa added that people should keep in mind that "this if four family funerals being held together" at one time.

Here is the schedule for Friday's funeral service:

9 a.m.: Doors to Oracle Arena will open for general seating. OPD is encouraging everyone to arrive early to deal with security and seating. OPD is asking the public to enter on the 66th Ave. side.

10:15 a.m.: The families of the slain officers will arrive at Oracle Arena

OPD will provide honors when the caskets arrive in processions to Oracle from four different funeral homes in Tracy, Danville, Oakland and Hayward.

Families will have a private session with dignitaries for about 30 minutes.

11 a.m.: The memorial begins. It will be a minimum of 2 1/2 hours.

1:30 p.m.: The memorial ends. There will be a procession with the officers' caskets towards the parking lot.

The families will have a 30 minute break. When the families do exit, there will be a number of formal honors including bagpipes, a military cannon salute and helicopter flyovers.

Then there will be a private procession to the burials. Only invited guests will be allowed to participate in the procession (those guests have already been notified). OPD is asking that everyone else move to the Coliseum, where there will be food and beverages.

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