Lakeport police to lead memorial procession for local boy

The Lakeport Police Department will hold a memorial procession Sunday for its youngest member, honorary officer Ronnie Dekeyser.

Dekeyser, 11, died Monday after a long battle with brain cancer, said his father, Ron Dekeyser. The boy had a long-time dream of becoming a police officer, so on Oct. 3, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen swore him into the department and gave him a police uniform. Then he patrolled the city with Lt. Jason Ferguson.

Many community members have followed the boy's struggle since he was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer when he was just four, Dekeyser said.

"When things got bad this July, people rallied together," he said.

The procession will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of North High Street and end at the Lake County Fairgrounds.