'Totally Irreplaceable': Waltham Police Say Goodbye To Dear Friend
WALTHAM (CBS) - Police officers in Waltham said a final farewell to their dear friend Dave Sandison on Monday.
Officers lined the sidewalk to salute his hearse as it passed. The 65-year-old who lived with special needs passed away suddenly. Sandison loved his local police officers, firefighters, and friends at city hall.
"I think we lost a little bit of the city today," said Sgt. Joseph Guigno. "He'd call me first thing in the morning and later on in the afternoon to see what I was investigating, what was going on."
Sandison would sometimes call them multiple times a day and followed along with all the local action on his police scanner. When the city switched from analog to digital, the police department chipped in to buy Dave a new scanner, so he wouldn't miss out on a thing.
"Someone we talked to on the phone a lot. Took him out on ride-alongs," said Captain Jeffrey Rodley. "I personally have had him at my house. He knows my wife and kids. I've been to his birthday parties. Someone who is truly unforgettable and totally irreplaceable."
Dave invited all his friends from town to his birthday party each year, but only if they made a donation to the homeless as their gift to him. Police say they'll honor him with the tradition every February.