Deputy Steve Cox, who was killed in the line of duty on Dec. 2, can't be replaced, King County Sheriff Sue Rahr said at his memorial service last week at the Christian Faith Center in SeaTac.

But, Rahr added, people can keep his legacy alive by turning their grief into positive action.

"It's up to us to make sure his memory matters," she said.

Thousands of law enforcement officers from across the region joined the family and friends of Deputy Cox and residents of White Center-where he worked for the past three years-for the service at the Christian Faith Center in SeaTac on Dec. 8.

A motorcade to the service went through White Center and past the sheriff's station where a memorial with hundreds of flowers had been placed.

Deputy Cox was also president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council.

At the church, a police color guard awaited his casket as bagpipes wailed mournfully.

"In my 27 years in law enforcement, I have never seen the level of caring you gave to an officer," Rahr said to the White Center residents.

"He was a cop's cop and a hard-driving crime fighter," she said of her murdered deputy who not only guarded them but also contributed to the community.

The sheriff also spoke of Deputy Cox's compassionate side, evidenced by many people who told her how he had helped them when they were down and out.

"One deputy told me, 'Sheriff, it's gonna take five guys to replace him,'" Rahr said.

The sheriff then went to the deputy's widow, Maria, and after a hug presented her with her husband's badge and photo in a glass case.

Deputy Cox was killed while investigating a shooting and assault on 12th Avenue Southwest near Southwest 106th Street early the morning of Dec. 2.

Together with four other deputies, he entered the house and was interviewing the 12 to 15 people who were attending a party there.

He was talking to the partygoers one at a time in a bedroom of the home when the other deputies heard a gunshot. More gunfire erupted and at least one deputy fired back.

Deputies rushed to the bedroom and found Deputy Cox lying on the floor with two gunshots-one apparently execution style-in his head.

They also discovered the body of Raymond Porter, 23, who had shot Deputy Cox. The deputy's handgun was still in its holster.

Deputy Cox was transported to Harborview Medical Center where he died at about 6 a.m.

The White Center community was shattered by the news of Deputy Cox's death. That's because White Center was more than a workplace for the 46-year-old prosecuting attorney turned cop. It was his hometown neighborhood.

Speaking at the memorial service, Gov. Christine Gregoire called Deputy Cox "a great Washingtonian," and said his name will be added to the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial in Olympia.

"He was an officer literally on the street," the governor said.

When Gregoire left the podium, she also embraced Maria Cox and a Washington State Patrol trooper brought her a triangular box with a glass top and a green and yellow section of the state flag showing.

Mike Schemnitzer, who was Deputy Cox's partner for the past two and a half years, said working with him was the biggest honor of his life.

"The only thing Steve loved more than protecting White Center was his family," Schemnitzer said, fighting back tears.

Deputy Cox "was more than just a partner and a friend," Schemnitzer added. "He was a legend."

Major Greg Dymerski, commander of the Sheriff's Office Southwest Precinct in Burien and SeaTac police chief, said, "Steve Cox was the hardest working deputy sheriff any of us has ever worked with."

Early in Deputy Cox's career at the precinct, he was assigned to undercover street-level drug busts.

"He was relentless," said Sgt. Bob Lurry, his supervisor. "My box was clogged with Steve Cox arrests. I thought, he's new. He'll slow down."

People throughout the room chuckled knowingly.

"He had a nose for sniffing out crime like I'd never seen," Lurry said.

Deputy Cox's brother Ron Cox recalled that the only TV programs his older brother liked to watch as a kid were "Dragnet," "Adam-12," "The FBI" and, his favorite, "Perry Mason."

"As long as I can remember, he wanted to be a cop," Ron said.

He closed his remarks with chastisement of the news media for focusing on corruption in the sheriff's office when there are so many more deputies like his brother, doing an honest job in an upright manner.

"Why did it take my brother's death to get positive articles about police?" he asked. "We need more improvement in news coverage."

The service ended with the drummers and pipers playing "Amazing Grace." Then a police radio crackled to life. A dispatcher called out a couple of times for "Ida 41," Deputy Cox's radio code name.

After getting no response, the dispatcher said, "Ida 41 is 10-7 (out of service). Gone but not forgotten."

On Dec. 5, Deputy Cox was also remembered at a vigil and prayer service in front of the White Center Sheriff and Community Service Center on 16th Avenue South.

The 6 o'clock peal of bells from Holy Family Church a few blocks away provided a somber backdrop as many people tipped lighted candles to pass the flame one to another. Others stood in line to write condolences in a large book of blank pages.

So many bouquets, candles and condolence cards were delivered that canopies were erected on the sidewalk and out onto the street. A large color photo of Deputy Cox set on an easel stood on the ground. His image had a dozen candles flickering around its base and an American flag hanging behind.

Tim St. Clair can be reached at tstclair@robinsonnews.com or 206-932-0300.