Funeral arrangements set for Red Lake officer killed in crash
Officer Jesse Branch (Supplied)
(FOX 9) - Funeral arrangements have been set for the Red Lake tribal police officer who died last week in an on-duty crash.
What we know
Officer Jesse Branch was killed in a collision on Highway 1 near Red Lake on Nov. 27. Officials say that Branch was responding to a call when the crash happened. A driver in the other vehicle, Alan Lussier Jr., was also killed.
Officer Branch has since been memorialized by fellow departments across the state and Governor Walz ordered flags to half staff in the state in his honor.
Funeral plans set
In an obituary, Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home shared details about Branch's funeral.
Services are set to be held on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Humanities Building in Red Lake. Internment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Visitation hours will be held on Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, 3330 Irvine Ave. NW, Bemidji, MN 56601.
Donation
On Monday, the Front Line Foundation announced it had granted a $20,000 death benefit to the family of Officer Branch.
The organization that supports fallen officers notes this is the seventh death benefit paid out this year by the foundation – the most it's paid out in a calendar year since its creation in 2018.
"The dangers of protecting and serving come at a very high price," said Front Line Foundation president Suzanne Holt in a provided statement. "Officer Branch put his life on the line for the safety of others and he sadly paid the ultimate price."