Community Says Goodbye To Fallen South Salt Lake Officer

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – The community said goodbye to fallen South Salt Lake Police officer David Romrell Wednesday. Romrell was hit and killed by a car fleeing a burglary scene on November 24. A crowd gathered at the Maverik Center in West Valley City to honor Romrell.

Friends, family, fellow officers, and Marines paid tribute to Romrell. He spent four years in the United States Marine Corps and was a South Salt Lake Police officer for 11 months. He is survived by a wife, Elizabeth, and a 4-month-old son, Jackson.

Elizabeth Romrell spoke at her husband’s service Wednesday, saying their son would come to know his father.

“Our son will know you would do anything to protect him, ultimately giving your life to make sure he was safe,” she said.

After the Maverik Center funeral service, a procession took Romrell’s casket through South Salt Lake, along the streets he used to patrol. Hundreds of children from the Granite School District lined the streets with flags and signs.

“It was important to us to show the family how much we appreciate his service, his sacrifice, and for what he did protecting our students,” said Granite Park Junior High School principal Dr. Aaron Wilson.

Wilson said a lot of students in the school wrote letters to Elizabeth Romrell expressing their sympathy.

“I was able to present those to his wife at the vigil on Sunday, and she was very touched to know that students, even though they’re very young, they knew this was a really sad event that took place,” Wilson said.

The procession ended at Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, where Romrell received his final honors. There was a 21-gun salute, a helicopter flyover, and Elizabeth Romrell was presented with the flag that had draped his casket.

After the graveside service, Chief Jack Carruth said there would be a void left at the South Salt Lake Police Department.

“I miss him. My heart hurts. It’s going to be difficult for us as an agency to not have him there,” Carruth said.