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Several high-profile leaders, past and present, were on hand this morning at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to pay tribute to the late former LAPD Chief Daryl Gates.
Among the speakers were his longtime attorney, Jay Grodin, former Governor Pete Wilson, and former Deputy Chief Mike Hillmann. Wilson acknowledged Gates' humanity, remarking: "No man, no institution is perfect. But Daryl Gates and the department he molded far exceeded excellent," reports LA Now.
Hillmann shared with the crowd of friends, family, and colleagues: "He was truly America's police chief."
As part of the ceremony, "a rifleman discharged three volleys, as is tradition for a fallen officer. A brief peel of cathedral bells followed, and bagpipes played taps," and the "missing man" formation was flown overhead by LAPD aircraft, after which folded flags were distributed to Gates' surviving blood relatives.
