Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
The Rt Rev Monsignor Richard Albert sprinkles holy water and incense on the casket bearing the remains of Detective Sergeant Curtis Ashman during the thanksgiving Mass held at the Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church in St Andrew yesterday. The policeman died in a traffic accident on April 3.

Michelle Letman, Gleaner Writer

The family members, friends and colleagues of late Detective Sergeant Curtis Ashman mourned openly at his thanksgiving service held at the Stella Maris Roman Catholic church in St Andrew yesterday.

Ashman died on April 3 after succumbing to injuries he suffered in a motor-vehicle collision.

Scores of members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) attended the service to pay their last respects to a man they called a friend, brother and trusted colleague.

In his tribute, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Denver Frater described Ashman as someone "easy to know and hard to forget."

Committed

Corporal Raymond Wilson from the Police Federation lauded Ashman as a hard working and committed police officer. "No task was too much for him to tackle," said Wilson. "He served diligently and never complained about the tasks he had to do."

ACP Les Green also paid tribute to Ashman. He praised him for the level of professionalism he displayed while on and off duty, stating that he was a "great" cop.

Tributes in the form of songs came from the JCF choir, the St Andrew North JCF choir and family members of the deceased.

Debra Ashman, stepmother of the deceased, showed great strength as she held back tears while delivering the remembrance.

"He never disrespected me. He was my friend, my adviser and my son and he will be greatly missed," she said.

Ashman was buried in the family plot in Beeston Spring, Westmoreland.