Funeral for Former Herndon Police Captain Darryl Smith Set for Friday, Crowds Urged to Stay Away

The Herndon Police Department’s Police Chief Maggie DeBoard is urging residents to avoid driving in the downtown area as former police captain Darryl ‘Smitty’ Smith is laid to rest tomorrow (Friday).

Smith, a prominent community leader, the town’s first African American Officer and Purcellville Police Chief, died on Sunday. Due to restrictions created by COVID-19, the funeral service will be restricted to family members only.

Community members and other wishing to pay their respects can gather along the procession route, but DeBoard said efforts to maintain social distancing should be adhered to.

Here’s DeBoard’s statement:

Due to the restrictions brought upon our community by COVID-19, the funeral service is restricted to family members only. We will also be avoiding driving through the downtown area as we escort Darryl to his final resting place to avoid the congested areas where people may want to congregate to pay their respects, all in the interest of safety.

The Herndon Police Department, along with representatives from the Purcellville Police Department, have made plans to formally honor Darryl at his graveside service, while doing our best to keep the family and our officers safe. Please respect the Governor’s Orders and our efforts to limit exposure at this service both to Darryl’s family and to our officers by remaining away from the cemetery. It is truly heartbreaking to lay a beloved lifelong public servant to rest without full honors and the support from the community he served, but safety must prevail and we all know that Smitty would stress this if he were still here with us today.

Please know that Darryl’s police families will provide a proper sendoff to him that lets his immediate family know how much he was loved and respected.

We appreciate the community’s cooperation during this painful and difficult time.

Adams-Green Funeral Home and Crematory, which has adapted to changing circumstances due to COVID-19, is hosting a virtual viewing of the funeral and graveside services online.

The funeral home invited members of the public to stand along the funeral procession route form the funeral home to Chestnut Grove Cemetery. More information about the services is available on the funeral home’s website.

A “celebration of life” service will be held at a later date once it is safe for crowd to gather.

Photo via HPD