CLEVELAND — It has been almost one month since Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter was killed in the line of duty. Now, friends, family and police officers are vowing to continue his legacy.
Blue ribbons still line the outside of Cleveland Police Third District Headquarters.
“It hits you hard, it really does,” said Third District Commander Robert Tucker.
The outside ribbons are a sign to remember an officer who people inside the building find hard to forget.
“Jamieson was an exceptional officer, but he was an even better person,” said Tucker.
Tucker said Ritter always had a positive attitude and led by example.
“We’re going to keep his spirit alive here by being better police officers, better people,” he added.
The 27-year-old officer was shot and killed early on the morning of July 4.
“When people hear a police officer was killed, to the officers, it’s not a police officer, it’s their friend. That’s very tough for them because, first and foremost, it’s a friend who was murdered that happened to be a police officer,” said Tucker.
The young officer from western New York spent his short life serving. He served our country, and he served his community. Friends said that service started in high school at McQuaid Jesuit in Rochester, New York.
That is where Jamieson Ritter and Jack Schwab became best friends.
“Jamieson knew from a very young age that he would find fulfillment in serving things that were greater than him,” said Schwab.
Schwab described Ritter as clever, intelligent, and charismatic. He loved his family, friends and country.
Now, those who knew him best have started The Jamieson Ritter Foundation.
“We’re excited to kind of make that a forward-looking thing as opposed to just kind of packaging up this whole last month amongst ourselves,” said Schwab.
The newly formed foundation hopes to provide a $10,000 scholarship for a McQuaid Jesuit High School senior heading to college—a student, Schwab said, who embodies the qualities Jamieson Ritter displayed daily.
“The current objective from the foundation is to hopefully secure recurring donations from donors that want to contribute to this foundation over time,” he explained.
Donations to the newly formed foundation can be made by CLICKING HERE.
The man accused of killing Ritter, Delawnte Hardy, remains in jail. A Cuyahoga County Court judge ruled in favor of a motion filed by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office to revoke his bond. Hardy is also accused of killing his grandmother just days before Ritter was murdered.
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