Thousands prepare to honor Trooper Butterfield

MANISTEE — Thousands of people are arriving at Manistee High School to attend the funeral of Trooper Paul Butterfield. A vast majority of those arriving are law enforcement personnel from all over Michigan and beyond. Mason, Oceana and Lake counties are well represented. A procession of dozens of emergency vehicles left the Home Depot parking lot at 10:20 a.m. and traveled to Manistee via U.S. 31. Hundreds of people lined the route, waiving flags, blue placards and holding signs, thanking them for their service and honoring Trooper Butterfield.

It was a moving site as every vehicle traveling south pulled over for the procession, many drivers got out of their vehicles to show their respect. At the high school, a line of motorcyclists lined the street, holding American flags while ladder trucks from Manistee City and Pere Marquette Township fire departments draped a flag over the street, a beautiful sign of unity between our two counties.